Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Ultrasound Velocity Measurement in a Liquid Metal Electrode
Published on: August 5, 2015
Measuring ultrathin metal coatings using SPR spectroscopic ellipsometry with a prism-dielectric-metal-liquid
Abstract:
A new surface plasmon resonance (SPR) configuration is proposed, which consists of a prism, a dielectric layer, a metal coating, and a matching liquid. The optical constants of each layer in the proposed prism-dielectric-metal-liquid (PDML) configuration have been optimized to match the SPR conditions and reach the strongest intensity. Combining the PDML configuration with spectroscopic ellipsometry, SPR spectroscopic ellipsometry (SPRSE) with a PDML configuration was developed. The SPR wavelength can be adjusted to the desired wavelength by varying the thickness of the dielectric layer. The amplitude and phase change, magnified by the SPR in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths, were obtained to determine the optical constants and thickness of ultrathin metal coatings. The extracted optical constants were found to be in good agreement with the results obtained using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray reflectivity (XRR) techniques. These SPRSE measurements show great potential for characterizing the interface between a metal coating and a dielectric layer, and the surface uniformity of ultrathin metal coatings.
Related Concept Videos
Alkali Metals
Table 1: Properties of the alkali metals
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
Bonding in Metals
Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
Properties of Transition Metals
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The...

