Ellipsometry

ELLIPSOMETRY
VIJITHA. I.
JRF, CSIR-NIIST
28th October 2014

For the 1st time Paul DRUDE use ellipsometry in 1888
In our LAB
Alexandre Rothen Published in 1945 a paper where
the word «Ellipsometer» appears for the 1st time
film thickness within ±0.3A

What is Ellipsometry?
A method of probing surfaces with light.
ELLIPSOMETRY is a method based on measurement of the

change of the polarisation state of light after reflection at non
normal incidence on the surface to study.
Why we use
Ellipsometry?
Very sensitive
Highly accurate &reproducible
Non-destructive
Easy and quick measurement
No reference material
necessary
What Ellipsometry measures: What we are interested in:
Film Thickness
Psi (Ψ) Refractive Index
Delta (∆) Extension
Coefficient
Surface Roughness
Anisotropy
Composition
Desired information must
Uniformity
be extracted through a
model based analysis
using equations to
describe interaction of
light and materials
Principle Of Ellipsometry
s-plane stands perpendicularly

Φ0 : angle of incidence
to the plane of incidence
∆: relative phase change p-plane stands parallel to the
Ψ: relative amplitude change plane of incidence
The Fresnel equations
Ellipsometry measures the complex reflectance ratio
With n0 being air, n0 =1, so n1 is directly related to ellipsometric

angles
Experimental Setup
Null Ellipsometry
By rotating the polarizer it is possible to change the phase
shift between the p- and s-component of the incident light.
The trick is to compensate for the phase shift that will occur at
the surface so that the p- and s-component of the reflected
wave will be again in phase and thus linearly polarized.
Spectroscopic Phase-Modulated
Ellipsometry (SPME)
Photomultiplier:
MgF2 Rochon prism UV-Visible
Photodiode: NIR
Fused silica bar
Xenon lamp /
spectral range = 190 to
2100 nm
Advantages of PEM
Wide spectral range coverage

Wide spectral range from the FUV to the NIR is covered without
the need for several hardware configurations, and without
moving any optical elements
Large acceptance angle
The photoelastic modulator optical element has a large
tolerance of the incident angle allowing more simple alignment
of the system.
High Accuracy Measurements for all Values of Psi and
Delta
The phase modulated ellipsometer delivers optimum accuracy
for all values of Ψ and Δ
Ellipsometry Data Analysis
Delta Psi software
n, k, d, adjustment
1 2 3 4
Measurement Model Fit Result
Instead of Dispersion Minimizing the Thickness

Ψ and ∆, relations are Mean-square of the film,
intensity used for the deviation Χ2 Refractive
is representation index,
measured of sample Extinction
coefficient
Literature Discussed
1
Measurement
The modulated signal to detector takes the general form as

follows:
I(t) = Io + Is sin∆(t) + Ic cos∆(t)
Jones formalism equation
The measurement configuration is chosen for the purpose of
simplifying the calculation of trigonometry functions. In the
present set of measurement,
M = 0°, P = 45°, A = 45°, so that,
Io = 1
Is = sin2Ψsin∆
Ic = sin2Ψcos∆
Each optical element of the system is represented by a (2x2)
matrix.
Sample Polarizer/Analyzer
Rotation matrix to
Modulator adjust to proper basis
Ellipsometer spectra Is(λ), Ic(λ) of a ZnO film analyzed by
Delta Psi software (Jobin – Yvon Co.)
2
Model
Model contains initial estimates of the parameters

which are then varied to generate a set of calculated
Ψcalc and ∆calc that fits best the measured data.
.
Some dispersion relations used in our software
Transparent Materials: Classical, Lorentz, Cauchy
Transparent, Conrady, Hartmann, Schott, Sellmeier
Transparent.
Absorbing, Non Metallic Materials: Cauchy Absorbant,

Sellmeier Absorbant, Tauc-Lorentz, Cody-Lorentz.
Absorbing Semiconductors: Adachi, Afromovitz, Excitonic.
Metals: Drude.
Backside reflexion is collected but not interfering with front
side due to loss of coherency
Backside reflexion is not collected because diffusion on rough

side or beam is masked
Model should be in agreement with the experiment

LAYER STACK MODEL
Thin film
Substrate
Thin film
Substrate
Void
Thin film 50% Void 50% Roughness

Thin film
Substrate Bruggeman Effective
Medium Approximation
Void
(EMA) Model
3
Fit
Data fitting consists in minimizing the mean-square deviation
Χ2 between calculated and measured ellipsometric parameters
(Ψ and ∆) using different algorithm, e.g. Marquardt –
Levenberg algorithm.
The Mean Square Error (MSE) Χ2 is used to qualify the
difference between the experimental and predicted data.
where σi is the standard deviation of the ith data point

N is the number of data points
Mesi is the ith experimental data point
Thi is the ith calculated data point from assumed theoretical
Model 1
Model 2
4
Result
References
P. Drude, Ann. d. Physik u. Chemie 39, 481 (1890).
Alexandre Rothen, The Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 16, No. 2
(1945).
Nguyen Nang Dinh , Tran Quang Trung,Le Khac Binh, Nguyen Dang
Khoa, Vo Thi Mai Thuan, VNU Journal of Science, Mathematics - Physics 24
16-23 (2008) .
Harland G. Tompkins & Eugene A. Irene, Handbook Of Ellipsometry
(2005).
R.M. A Azzam, N.M. Bashara, Ellipsometry and Polarized Light (1999).
Rudolf Holze, Surface and Interface Analysis: An Electrochemists Toolbox
(2009).
Horiba Scientific, Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Manual.
Gaertner Scientific Corporation, Ellipsometry Manual.
Ramdane Benferhat, Basic Principles of Spectroscopic Ellipsometry and
Photo-Elastic Modulator.
Dietrich R. T. Zahn, Optical Spectroscopies of Thin Films and Interfaces.
J.Ph.PIEL, Introduction to Ellipsometry.
G.E Jellison Jr., Ellipsometry Data Analysis: a Tutorial.
Thank

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ELLIPSOMETRY

28th October 2014

film thickness within ±0.3A

ELLIPSOMETRY is a method based on measurement of the

s-plane stands perpendicularly

Ellipsometry measures the complex reflectance ratio

With n0 being air, n0 =1, so n1 is directly related to ellipsometric

Fused silica bar

Wide spectral range coverage

Instead of Dispersion Minimizing the Thickness

The modulated signal to detector takes the general form as

Model contains initial estimates of the parameters

Absorbing, Non Metallic Materials: Cauchy Absorbant,

Absorbing Semiconductors: Adachi, Afromovitz, Excitonic.

Backside reflexion is not collected because diffusion on rough

Model should be in agreement with the experiment

Thin film 50% Void 50% Roughness

where σi is the standard deviation of the ith data point

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