M. Diware, H. Noh, G. Min and S. Kaemmer
Park Systems,
United States
Keywords: Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
Summary:
Ellipsometry measures the change in polarization of light due to interaction with the sample surface. Optical microscopy provides two-dimensional (2D) images with high optical lateral resolution. Imaging spectroscopic ellipsometry (ISE) combines these powerful techniques, facilitating the highest lateral resolution (~ 1μm) in ellipsometry. ISE method development features unique measurement capabilities like single-shot 2D mapping of the ellipsometric angles Ψ and Δ. Multilayer-optical modeling can transfer these data into thickness and complex optical properties, making ISE an ideal technique for characterizing micron-scale samples like 2D van der Waals (vdW) materials, micro-devices, and inhomogeneous surfaces. For vdW materials and their heterostructures, ISE enables the accurate study of optoelectronic properties, like exciton dynamics, optical anisotropy, and band-structure tuning. While traditional ellipsometry techniques lack lateral resolution and are spot-size limited, we demonstrate the advantages of ISE for nanomaterials characterization.