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Waveguide refractometry as a probe of thin film optical uniformity

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Abstract

Optical inhomogeneities through the thickness of a sol-gel-derived, spin-coated Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin film have been evaluated using prism-coupled waveguide refractometry. Unusual waveguide coupling angle behavior has been treated using a multilayer model to describe the optical characteristics of the film. Waveguide refractometry measurements, performed after incremental reductions in film thickness, were used to develop a consistent model for optical inhomogeneity through the film thickness. Specifically, a thin film layer model, consisting of alternating layers of high and low refractive index material, was found to accurately predict irregularities in transverse-electric (TE) mode coupling angles exhibited by the film. This layer structure has a spatial periodicity that is consistent with the positions of the upper film surface at intermediate firings during film synthesis. The correlation emphasizes the impact of the multistep thin-film deposition approach on the optical characteristics of the resulting thin film.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sandia National Laboratories, 87185-1349, Albuquerque, Mexico

    B. G. Potter Jr., D. Dimos & M. B. Sinclair

Authors
  1. B. G. Potter Jr.
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  2. D. Dimos
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  3. M. B. Sinclair
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Potter, B.G., Dimos, D. & Sinclair, M.B. Waveguide refractometry as a probe of thin film optical uniformity. Journal of Materials Research 12, 546–551 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1997.0078

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1997.0078

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