Ambiguity solving of dynamic spectroscopic ellipsometry by using a wedge-window monolithic polarizing interferometric...

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Spectroscopic ellipsometry is crucial for thin-film characterization.
• Ambiguity in data extraction can arise from mathematical models, particularly quadratic equations.
• Accurate and dynamic measurements are essential for real-time material analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dynamic spectroscopic ellipsometer capable of unambiguous Ψ(λ) and Δ(λ) extraction.
• To address and resolve ambiguity issues inherent in traditional spectroscopic ellipsometry data analysis.
• To demonstrate the practical application of a novel W-MPI device for enhanced thin-film characterization.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dynamic spectroscopic ellipsometer incorporating a wedge-window monolithic polarizing interferometric (W-MPI) device.
• Utilizing the W-MPI device to overcome ambiguity problems caused by quadratic equations in Ψ(k) extraction.
• Experimental validation using four thin-film samples with varying thicknesses.

Main Results:

• Successful dynamic extraction of accurate Ψ(λ) and Δ(λ) data without ambiguity.
• Demonstration of the W-MPI device's effectiveness in resolving data extraction issues.
• Validation of the dynamic measurement capability through experimental trials on diverse thin-film samples.

Conclusions:

• The proposed W-MPI scheme effectively eliminates ambiguity in spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements.
• The dynamic spectroscopic ellipsometer offers a robust solution for accurate thin-film analysis.
• The technology shows significant potential for real-time material characterization and quality control.