Abstract

The internal physical structure of vacuum de-posited thin films is invariably inhomogeneous, and this has been the major drawback in the effective utilization of thin films in a variety of optical devices. Even the basic data on the true refractive-index absorption coefficient and its dispersion of many materials are not available in the literature, since they are not available in bulk form, and in thin-film form they are inhomogeneous with consequent irreproducible results.

© 1988 Optical Society of America