Retrieval of optical constants and thickness of thin films from transmission spectra

Abstract

We discuss a new method to estimate the absorption coefficient, the index of refraction, and the thickness of thin films using optical transmission data only. To solve the problem we used a pointwise constrained optimization approach, defining a nonlinear programming problem, the unknowns of which are the coefficients to be estimated, with linear constraints that represent prior knowledge about the physical solution. The method applies to all kinds of transmission spectra and does not rely on the existence of fringe patterns or transparency. Results on amorphous semiconductor thin films and gedanken films are reported. They show that the new method is highly reliable.

© 1997 Optical Society of America

Estimation of the thickness and the optical parameters of several stacked thin films using optimization

Ricardo Andrade, Ernesto G. Birgin, Ivan Chambouleyron, José Mario Martínez, and Sergio D. Ventura
Appl. Opt. 47(28) 5208-5220 (2008)

Determination of the optical constants and thickness of thin films on slightly absorbing substrates

Rusli and G. A. J. Amaratunga
Appl. Opt. 34(34) 7914-7924 (1995)

Determination of thickness and optical constants of thin films from photometric and ellipsometric measurements

Eduardo Elizalde, Jean Marc Frigerio, and Josette Rivory
Appl. Opt. 25(24) 4557-4561 (1986)

Determination of thickness and optical constants of solgel derived polyvinylpyrrolidone/ZrO₂films from transmission spectra using different dispersion models

Hongbao Jia, Jinghua Sun, Yao Xu, and Dong Wu
Appl. Opt. 51(29) 6937-6944 (2012)

Determination of the optical constants of a thin film from transmittance measurements of a single film thickness

Kent F. Palmer and Michael Z. Williams
Appl. Opt. 24(12) 1788-1798 (1985)