Variable Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (VASE) for the Study of Ion-Beam and Growth-Modified Solids

Abstract

In the most commonly used form of ellipsometry, a monochromatic collimated linearly polarized light beam is directed at an angle φ to the normal of a sample under study. The specularly reflected beam is, in general, elliptically polarized, and the state of polarization is analyzed using a second polarizer and photodetector.1 Figure 1 shows a schematic of the rotating analyzer automated spectroscopic ellipsometer used at the University of Nebraska. The angle of incidence can be set over a wide range of angles, with a precision and repeatability of ±0.01 angular degrees. A computer controls the monochromator, the azimuth of a stepper motor driven polarizer, a shutter, and the digitization of the detector signal. There are several other schemes used for acquiring ellipsometric data, and these are discussed in several sources.