Ellipsometers

Typically used for analysis and metrology purposes, ellipsometers are capable of drawing conclusions regarding a sample’s thickness, its optical constants, such as its microstructure, as well as the composition, roughness, crystallinity, and relating material properties associated with a change in the optical response of an object. Ellipsometry involves the measurement of the changes of polarization, which is represented by an amplitude ratio, ψ, and the phase difference, Δ, of a light beam as it is reflected from a sample of interest. With applications in fields such as physical sciences, data storage solutions, and optical coating industries, ellipsometers are capable of measuring most material types such as semiconductors, metals, organic materials, biological coatings, and much more.