Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Microanalysis of Solids pp 285–324Cite as

Microellipsometry

  • Chapter

Abstract

A polarized electromagnetic plane wave will undergo a relative state change upon reflection or transmission at an interface or surface. The field of ellipsometry comprises the theory, instrumentation, measurement, and analysis of this relative polarization state change. In the case of a single uncoated surface, this polarization change is solely a function of the refractive indices of the surface and the surrounding medium. For multilayer surfaces and interfaces, whenever the layers are at least partially transmissive, the polarization change is dependent on the layer refractive indices and thicknesses. Therefore, single layer thicknesses and refractive indices are directly derivable from the measurement, when the properties of the surrounding medium are known. Multilayer films require more complex comparisons between the assumed theoretical model and multiple independent ellipsometric measurements. The major advantage of ellipsometry is that extremely thin films, down to average thicknesses of less than a single atomic monolayer, may be detected and measured. Furthermore, these measurements are nondestructive and can be performed in situ, permitting direct, real-time measurements of film change, growth, or dissolution processes. The primary disadvantage inherent in ellipsometric measurements is the difficulty encountered in analyzing rough or contaminated interfaces, or surfaces with more than a single layer film coating. The modeling and interpretation of multilayer film measurements remains a primary direction of current research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Allemeier, R. T., and Wagner, J. W. (1991). Real-time thickness measurement of metal oxide film growth, in Nondestructive Evaluation of Materials IV, (C. 0. Ruud, J. Bussiere and R. E. Green, eds.). Plenum Press, New York. 41–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alterovitz, S. A., Woollam, J. A., and Synder, P. G. (1988). Variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, Solid State Technol. 31 (3), 99–102.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Archer, R. J., and Gobeli, G. W. (1965). Measurement of oxygen adsorption on silicon by ellipsometry, J. Phys. Chem. Solids 26, 343–351. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990 ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Armgarth, M., Nylander, C., Svensson, C., and Lundstöm, I. (1984). Hydrogen-induced oxide surface charging in palladium-gate metal-oxide-semiconductor devices, J. Appl. Phys. 56 (10), 2956–2963.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aspnes, D. E. (1971). Measurement and correction of first-order errors in ellipsometry, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 61 (8), 1077–1085.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aspnes, D. E. (1983). The characterization of materials by spectroscopic ellipsometry, SPIE Vol. 452 ( F. H. Pollack and R. S. Bauer, eds. ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Aspnes, D. E. (1985). The accurate determination of optical properties by ellipsometry, Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aspnes, D. E., Theeten, J. B., and Hottier, F. (1979). Investigation of effective-medium models of microscopic surface roughness by spectroscopic ellipsometry, Phys. Rev. B. 20(8), 3292–3302. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Azzam, R. M. A. (1976). Use of different periodic analyzers for the frequency-mixing detection of polarization-modulated light, SPIE 88, 11–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azzam, R. M. A. (1977). Fourier photoellipsometers and photopolarimeters based on modulated optical rotation, SPIE 112, 54–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azzam, R. M. A. (ed.) (1990). Selected Papers on Ellipsometry, SPIE Milestone series, MS 27, SPIE Optical Engineering Press, Bellingham, Wash.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azzam, R. M. A., and Bashara, N. M. (1974). Analysis of systematic errors in rotating-analyzer ellipsometers, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 64 (11), 1459–1469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azzam, R. M. A., and Bashara, N. M. (1987). Ellipsometry and Polarized Light, Elsevier, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barsukov, D. O., Gusakov, G. M., and Komamitskii, A. A. (1988). Precision ellipsometry based on a focused light beam, Opt. Spectrosc. (USSR) 64(6), 782–785. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Barsukov, D. O., Gusakov, G. M., and Komarnitskii, A. A. (1989). Precision ellipsometry based on a focused light beam 2: Analysis of sensitivity, Opt. Spectrosc. (USSR) 65 (2), 237–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bashara, N. M., and Azzam, R. M. A. (eds.) (1976). Ellipsometry: Proceeding of the Third International Conference on Ellipsometry, North-Holland, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bashara, N. M., Buckman, A. B., and Hall, A. C. (eds.) (1969). Proceeding of the Symposium on Recent Developments in Ellipsometry, North-Holland, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beaglehole, D. (1988). Performance of a microscopic imaging ellipsometer, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 59 (12), 2557–2559.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bille, J. F., Grimm, B., Liang, J., and Mueller, K. (1989). Imaging of the retina by scanning laser tomography, SPIE 1161, 417–425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bloem, H. H., Goetz, W. E., Jackson, R. N., and Kern, R. W. (1980). Development of an automatic ellipsometer, Electro-Opt. Syst. Des. 12 (3), 38–45.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brinker, C. J., Hurd, A. J., Frye, G. C., Ward, K. J., and Ashley, C. S. (1990). Sol-gel thin film formation, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 121, 294–302.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Budde, W. (1962). Photoelectric analysis of polarized light, Appl. Opt. 1 (3), 201–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, R. F. (1990). Evaluation of alternative algorithms for dynamic imaging microellipsometry, Appl. Opt. 29 (2), 304–315.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, R. F., and Wagner, J. W. (1989a). Absolute and random error analysis of the dynamic imaging microellipsometry technique, Appl. Opt. 28 (15), 3187–3198.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, R. F., and Wagner, J. W. (1989b). Current accuracy limits of dynamic imaging microellipsometry, SPIE 1036, 125–134.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, R. F., and Wagner, J. W. (1989c). Nondestructive mapping of surface film parameters with dynamic imaging microellipsometry, in Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE (D. O. Thompson and D. E. Chimenti, eds.), Vol. 8B, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 1219–1226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, R. F., Wagner, J. W., and Kruger, J. (1988a). Dynamic imaging microellipsometry: Proof of concept test results, J. Electrochem. Soc. 135 (4), 1033–1034.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, R. F., Wagner, J. W., and Kruger, J. (1988b). Dynamic imaging microellipsometry: Theory, system design, and feasibility demonstration, Appl. Opt. 27(22), 4664–4671. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. W. (1987). In situ ellipsometry comparison of the nucleation and growth of sputter and glow-discharge a-Si:H, J. Appl. Phys. 62 (10), 4146–4153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. W. (1988). In situ study of p-type amorphous silicon growth from B2H6:SiH4 mixtures: Surface reactivity and interface effects, Appl. Phys. Lett. 53 (12), 1086–1088.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. W. (1990). Automatic rotating element ellipsometers: Calibration operation and real-time applications, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 61 (8), 2029–2062.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. W., and Cavese, J. M. (1987). Surface structures of glow discharge a-si: H: Implications for multilayer film growth, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 97/98, 1439–1442.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dmitruk, N. L., Mayeva, O. I., and Antonyuk, V. N. (1989). Ellipsometry of anodic oxide films on a GaAs surface, Phys. Chem. Mech. Surf 4 (12), 3609–3616.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drude, P. (1989). Ueber oberflächenschichten. II. Theil, Ann. Phys. Chem. 36, 865–897. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990 ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunlavy, D. J., Hammond, R. B., and Ahrenkiel, R. K. (1981). Scanning microellipsometer for the spatial characterization of thin films, SPIE 288, 390–394.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Elwing, H., and Stenberg, M. (1981). Biospecific bimolecular binding reactions-A new ellipsometric method for their detection, quantitation and characterization, J. Immunol. Methods 44, 343–349.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Erman, M. (1989). Optical techniques of surface analysis for microelectronics: Ellipsometry and photoluminescence, ECASIA 89, Antibes-Juan les Pins, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erman, M., and Theeten, J. B. (1986). Spatially resolved ellipsometry, J. Appl. Phys. 60 (3), 859–873.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Erman, M., Renaud, M., and Gourrier, S. (1987). Spatially resolved ellipsometry for semiconductor process control: Application to GaInAs MIS structures, Jn. J. Appl. Phys. 26 (11), 1891–1897.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Erman, M., Alibert, C., Theeten, J. B., Frijlink, P., and Catte, B. (1988). Continuous transition from multiple quantum-well regime to superlattice regime in GaAIAs/GaAs system as observed by spectroscopic ellipsometry with high lateral resolution, J. Appl. Phys. 63 (2), 465–474.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Erman, M., Theeten, J. B., and Le Bris, J. Spatially resolved ellipsometry, Laboratoires d’Electronique et de Physique appliquée, BP15, 94451 Limiel Brévannes Cedex, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greef, R. (1984). Ellipsometry, in Experimental Methods in Electrochemistry, Vol. 8, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 339–371.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauge, P. S. (1980). Recent developments in instrumentation in ellipsometry, Surf Sci. 96,108–140. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauge, P. S., and Dill, F. H. (1973). Design and operation of ETA, an automated ellipsometer, IBM J. Res. Dev. Nov., 472–489. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauge, P. S., Muller, R. H., and Smith, C. G. (1980). Conventions and formulas for using the Mueller-Stokes calculus in ellipsometry, Surf. Sci. 96, 81–107.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hecht, E. (1987). Optics, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holzapfel, W., and Riss, U. (1987). Computer-based high resolution transmission ellipsometry, Appl. Opt. 26 (1), 145–153.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Y., and Talke, F. E. (1988). Lubricant depletion in a slider wear track of a magnetic recording disk measured by ellipsometry, Am. Chem. Soc. Div. Polym. Chem. Polym. Prepr. 29 (2), 277–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurd, A. J., and Brinker, C. J. (1988a). Ellipsometric imaging of drying solgel films, Better Ceramics through Chemistry III, MRS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurd, A. J., and Brinker, C. J. (1988b). Optical sol-gel coatings: Ellipsometry of film formation, J. Phys. (Paris) 49, 1017–1025.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Itoh, K., Chichibu, T., and Ichioka, Y. (1989). Microscopic digital imaging ellipsometry, SPIE 1166, 301–307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karis, T. E., and Novotny, V. J. (1989). Pin-on-disk tribology of thin-film magnetic recording disks, J. Appl. Phys. 66 (6), 2706–2711.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimball, B. R. (1991). A Dynamic Imaging Microellipsometric Analysis of Laser-Induced Thermal Oxidation of Polycrystalline Copper, Master’s Thesis, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kruger, J. (1973). Application of ellipsometry to electrochemistry, in Advances in Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering, Vol. 9 (P. Delahay and C. W. Tobias, eds.), Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kruger, J. (1988). Passivity of metals-A materials science perspective, Int. Mater. Rev. (UK) 33 (3), 113–130.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lauer, J. L., and Marxer, N. (1985). Ellipsometric surface analysis of wear tracks produced by different lubricants, ALSE Preprints presented at the ASLE/ASME Tribology Conference, pp. 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauer, J. L., and Marxer, N. (1986a). Ellipsometric film thickness, Instrum. Aerosp. Ind. 32, 283–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauer, J. L., and Marxer, N. (1986b). Polarization Modulated Ellipsometry, NASA Report N86–26599.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauer, J. L., Writer, N., and Jones, W. R. (1984). Optical and other properties of M-50 bearing steel surfaces for different lubricants and additives prior to scuffing, ASLE Trans. 29 (1), 1324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauer, J. L., Marxer, N., and Jones, W. R. (1985). Characterization of lubricated bearing surfaces operated under high loads, Proceedings of the JSLE International Tribology Conference, pp. 351–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Léger, L., Erman, M., Guinet-Picart, A. M., Ausserre, D., and Strazielle, C. (1988a). Precursor film profiles of spreading liquid drops, Phys. Rev. Lett. 60 (23).

    Google Scholar 

  • Léger, L., Erman, M., Guinet-Picart, A. M., Ausserre, D., Strazielle, C., Benattar, J. J., Daillant, J., and Bosio, L. (1988b). Spreading of non volatile liquids on smooth solid surfaces: Role of long range forces, Rev. Phys. Appl. 23, 1047–1054.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Löschke, K. (1979). Microscopy with an ellipsometric arrangement, Kris. Tech. 14 (6), 717–720.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McBee, C. L., and Kruger, J. (1974). Events leading to the initiation of the pitting of iron, Localized Corrosion, NACE-3, pp. 252–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMarr, P. J., Vedam, K., and Narayan, J. (1986). Spectroscopic ellipsometry: A new tool for nondestructive depth profiling and characterization of interfaces, J. Appl. Phys. 59(3), 694701.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mate, C. M., Lorenz, M. R., and Novotny, V. J. (1989). Atomic force microscopy of polymeric liquid films, J. Chem. Phys. 90 (12), 7550–7555.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mishima, T., and Kao, K. C. (1982a). Detection of the thickness uniformity of thin-film layers in semiconductor devices by laser ellipso-interferometry, Opt. Eng. 21 (6), 1074–1078.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Also found as: Mishima, T., and Kao, K. C. (1982). Checking of the thickness uniformity of thin-film layers in semiconductor devices by laser ellipso-interferometry, SPIE 334. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishima, T., and Kao, K. C. (1982b). Improved lateral resolution in the thickness measurement of thin films by ellipsointerferometry, Appl. Opt. 21 (23), 4203–4204.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mishima, T., and Okuno, M. (1984). Determination of thickness distribution in non-uniform film sample by ellipso-interferometry, Conference Digest of the 13th Int. Comm. for Optics, pp. 556–557.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moritani, A., and Hamaguchi, C. (1985). High-speed ellipsometry of arsenic-implanted Si during cw laser annealing, Appl. Phys. Lett. 46 (8), 746–748.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moy, J. P. (1981). Immersion ellipsometry, Appl. Opt. 20 (22), 3821–3822.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muller, R. H. (1973). Principles of ellipsometry, in Advances in Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering, Vol. 9 (P. Delahay and C. W. Tobias, eds.), Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller, R. H., Azzam, and Aspnes, D. E. (eds.) (1980). Ellipsometry: Proceeding of the Fourth International Conference on Ellipsometry, North-Holland, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nee, S. F. (1988). Ellipsometric analysis for surface roughness and texture, Appl. Opt. 27 (14), 2819–2831.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Novotny, V. J. (1990). Migration of liquid polymers on solid surfaces, J. Chem. Phys. 92 (5), 3189–3196.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Novotny, V. J., and Marmur, A. (1991). Wetting autophobicity, J. Colloid Interface Sci. to be published.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novotny, V., Swalen, J. D., and Rabe, J. P. (1989). Tribology of Langmuir-Blodgett layers, Langmuir 5, 485–498.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Passaglia, E., Stromberg, R., and Kruger, J. (eds.) (1963). Ellipsometry in the Measurement of Surfaces and Thin Films, National Bureau of Standards Misc. Publ. 256, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Place, J. F., Sutherland, R. M., and Dähne, C. (1985). Opto-electronic immunosensors: A review of optical immunoassay at continuous surfaces, Biosensors 1, 321–353.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rabe, J. P., Novotny, V., Swalen, J. D., and Rabolt, J. F. (1988). Structure and dynamics in a Langmuir-Blodgett film at elevated temperatures, Thin Solid Films 158, 359–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riss, U., and Holzapfel, W. (1988). High precision measurement of glass sample properties by transmission ellipsometry, SPIE 970 48–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, J. W., and Moldover, M. R. (1986). A search for the prewetting line, J. Chem. Phys. 84 (8), 4563–4568.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stenberg, M., Sandström, T., and Stiblert, L. (1980). A new ellipsometric method for measurements on surfaces and surface layers, Mater. Sci. Eng. 42, 65–69. (Reproduced in Azzam, 1990 ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, D. W. (1980). A perpendicular-incidence microellipsometer, Surf. Sci. 96, 174–201.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stiblert, L., and Sandström, T. (1983). Geometrical resolution in the comparison ellipsometer, J. Phys. (Paris) 44 (Colloq. C10, supplement to No. 12), 79–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugimoto, K., and Matsuda, S. (1983). Analysis of passive films on austeno-ferritic stainless steel by microscopic ellipsometry, J. Electrochem. Soc. 130 (12), 2323–2328.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sugimoto, K., Matsuda, S., Ogiwara, Y., and Kitamura, K. (1985). Microscopic ellipsometric observation of the change in passive film on 18Cr-8Ni stainless steel with the initiation and growth of pit, J. Electrochem. Soc. 132 (8), 1791–1795.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Theeten, J. B., and Aspnes, D. E. (1981). Ellipsometry in thin film analysis, Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci. 11, 97–122.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Automatic Thin Film Wafer Mapping and Characterization, Solid State Technol. May, 94–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Conference on Ellipsometry and other Optical Methods for Surface Thin Film Analysis, (1983). J. Phys. 44 (Colloq. C10, supplement to No. 12).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 51-5 Jacqueline Rd., Waltham, Massachusetts, 02154, USA

    R. F. Cohn

Authors
  1. R. F. Cohn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. EMTECH, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    B. G. Yacobi

  2. Department of Materials, Imperial College, SW7 2BP, London, England

    D. B. Holt

  3. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 80401, Golden, Colorado, USA

    L. L. Kazmerski

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Cohn, R.F. (1994). Microellipsometry. In: Yacobi, B.G., Holt, D.B., Kazmerski, L.L. (eds) Microanalysis of Solids. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1492-7_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1492-7_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-1494-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-1492-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation