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A multichannel spectroscopic ellipsometer in the fixed-polarizer-sample-rotating-compensator-fixed-analyzer (PSC(R)A) configuration has been developed and applied for real-time characterization of the nucleation and growth of thin films on transparent substrates. This rotating-compensator design overcomes the major disadvantages of the multichannel ellipsometer in the rotating-polarizer-sample-fixed-analyzer (P(R)SA) configuration while retaining its high speed and precision for the characterization of thin-film processes in real time. The advantages of the PSC(R)A configuration include (i) its high accuracy and precision for the detection of low-ellipticity polarization states that are generated upon reflection of linearly polarized light from transparent film-substrate systems, and (ii) the ability to characterize depolarization of the reflected light, an effect that leads to errors in ellipticity when measured with the P(R)SA configuration. A comparison of the index of refraction spectra for a glass substrate obtained in the real-time PSC(R)A mode in 2.5 s and in the ex situ fixed-polarizer-fixed-compensator-sample-rotating-analyzer (PCSA(R)) mode in ~10 min show excellent agreement, with a standard deviation between the two data sets of 8 x 10(-4), computed over the photon energy range from 1.5 to 3.5 eV. First, we describe the PSC(R)A ellipsometer calibration procedures developed specifically for transparent substrates. In addition, we describe the application of the multichannel PSC(R)A instrument for a study of thin-film diamond nucleation and growth on glass in a low-temperature microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process.

The II-VI ternary semiconductor alloy system Zn(1-x) Cd(x) Se with 0 < or = x < or = 0.2 has important applications as the active material in blue-green light-emitting diodes and lasers. For the wavelength and temperature ranges over which these devices are designed to operate, a knowledge of the optical properties of the alloys is important. We report the results of spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements of the real part of the dielectric function epsilon1 for Zn-rich Zn(1-x) Cd(x) Se layers deposited epitaxially on (100) GaAs. We derive compact expressions that allow one to calculate accurate epsilon1 spectra from 1.5 eV, the low-energy limit of our ellipsometer, to E0-0.05 eV, where E0 is the fundamental bandgap energy, for any composition and temperature within the ranges 0 < or = x < or = 0.34 and 25 < or = T < 260 degrees C. Furthermore, we expect that the results can also be extrapolated to cover the substrate temperature range typically used for the growth of these films (250-300 degrees C). Hence the results presented here are also useful in future real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry studies of Zn(1-x) Cd(x) Se film growth.

A real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) investigation is reported for comprehensive optical characterization of a thin film/substrate system, vacuum-deposited hydrogenated amorphous (diamondlike) carbon on tantalum. Precision RTSE measurements were carried out from 1.6 to 4.0 eV with a time resolution of 3 s and a repetition period of 15 s. Spectra collected during substrate exposure to an Ar(+) beam identify processing conditions for optimum precleaning and provide the bulk dielectric function of the Ta. Spectra collected during alpha-C:H growth to approximately 1700 A by ion beam deposition are best interpreted with a four-medium model (Ta/interface/alpha-C:H/ambient). From the analysis, we deduce the bulk dielectric function for alpha-C:H and an approximate dielectric function for the interface layer, interpreted as a carbide. The time evolution of the bulk and interface layer thicknesses is also determined. The dielectric functions of alpha-C:H deduced assuming a four-medium model and a three-medium model which neglects the interface layer differ by as much as 5%. The capabilities of measurement and analysis reported here represent a major new advance in the optical characterization of thin films.