Azzam R.M.A., Bashara N.M. Ellipsometry and polarized light

Amsterdam; New York; Oxford, North-Holland, 1977. — 528 p. — ISBN 0-7204-0694-3.Ellipsometry is an optical technique for the characterization of, and observation of events at, an interface or film between two media and is based on exploiting the polarization transformation that occurs as a beam of polarized light is reflected from or transmitted through the interface or film. Two factors make ellipsometry particularly attractive: (1) its essentially non-perturbing character (when the wavelength and intensity of the light beam are properly chosen), hence its suitability for in-situ measurements, and (2) its remarkable sensitivity to minute interfacial effects, such as the formation of a sparsely distributed sub-monolayer of atoms or molecules. The book proceeds according to the following plan. In chapter 1 we deal with the various mathematical representations that are employed to describe polarized light, and in chapter 2 we use these representations to discuss the interaction of polarized light with the optical components that may compose a polarizing optical system, E.G., an ellipsometer.