Discrimination of surface and bulk scattering of arbitrary level based on angle-resolved ellipsometry: Theoretical analysis

• Published in: Optics communications 2008-03, Vol.281 (6), p.1739-1744
• Main Authors: Arnaud, Laurent, Georges, Gaëlle, Deumié, Carole, Amra, Claude
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Diffraction and scattering; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Light scattering; Optical characterization; Optical instruments, equipment and techniques; Optics; Physics; Polarimeters and ellipsometers; Rigorous scattering model; Rough surfaces; Wave optics
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2007.11.013

An experimental procedure, which was found to be valid for both low-level and high-level scattering of random media, was recently shown to directly discriminate between surface and bulk scattering origin [O. Gilbert, C. Deumie, C. Amra, Angle-resolved ellipsometry of scattering patterns from arbitrary surfaces and bulk materials, Opt. Express 13 (2005) 2403]. The method is based on the ellipsometric measurement of the scattered field over the scattering angle and the analysis of the obtained relative phase shift between s and p polarizations. In the case of low-level scattering, the results were already known and have been explained by first order electromagnetic theories. However, information detailing high-level scattering is scarce. Using rigorous electromagnetic theory, we examined high-level scattering. The differential method enabled us to validate the experimental observations of Gilbert et al. (2005) and explore the limits of validity of the discrimination technique.