Ellipsometry Techniques and Its
Advanced Applications in Plasmonics
Mahesh Saini, Sebin Augustine, K. P. Sooraj, and Mukesh Ranjan
Abstract Ellipsometry is a versatile optical measurement technique which uses
polarized light as a probe to characterize various properties of materials viz.
film thickness, dielectric functions, uniformity, etc. by detecting the change in
the polarization state. In spite of the basic applications, ellipsometry technique is
highly used in advanced plasmonic applications like characterization of plasmonic
-waveguides, -switches, -tweezers, -circuits, metamaterials, etc. In this chapter, we
present the sub-wavelength plasmonic response of Ag and Au nanoparticle-nanowire
arrays and nanodot patterns which can be characterized using spectroscopic,
generalized, and Mueller matrix ellipsometry modes. In particular, probing local
surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), tuning LSPR by varying size, shape, particle
number density, or interparticle-gap along or across the nanoparticle arrays, probing
ordering of metal nanoparticles along the arrays, detecting in-plane or out-of-plane
optical anisotropies, optical modelling of anisotropic systems, directional dielectric
functions of anisotropic arrangement of metal nanoparticles, annealing-dependent
lost-of-anisotropy are of prime interest.
Keywords Ellipsometry · Plasmonics · Noble metals · Optical model · LSPR
1 Introduction to Optics and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
A branch of physics which deals with the light and sight is called optics. The nature
and properties of light including their interaction with matter is studied under optics
M. Saini
SUNAG Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751005, India
S. Augustine · K. P. Sooraj · M. Ranjan (B)
Facilitiation Centre for Industrial Plasma Technologies, Institute for Plasma Research,
Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 428, India
e-mail: ranjanm@ipr.res.in
M. Saini · S. Augustine · K. P. Sooraj · M. Ranjan
Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094,
India
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. K. Singh et al. (eds.), Modern Techniques of Spectroscopy, Progress in Optical Science
and Photonics 13, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6084-6_20
541
Advanced Applications in Plasmonics
Mahesh Saini, Sebin Augustine, K. P. Sooraj, and Mukesh Ranjan
Abstract Ellipsometry is a versatile optical measurement technique which uses
polarized light as a probe to characterize various properties of materials viz.
film thickness, dielectric functions, uniformity, etc. by detecting the change in
the polarization state. In spite of the basic applications, ellipsometry technique is
highly used in advanced plasmonic applications like characterization of plasmonic
-waveguides, -switches, -tweezers, -circuits, metamaterials, etc. In this chapter, we
present the sub-wavelength plasmonic response of Ag and Au nanoparticle-nanowire
arrays and nanodot patterns which can be characterized using spectroscopic,
generalized, and Mueller matrix ellipsometry modes. In particular, probing local
surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), tuning LSPR by varying size, shape, particle
number density, or interparticle-gap along or across the nanoparticle arrays, probing
ordering of metal nanoparticles along the arrays, detecting in-plane or out-of-plane
optical anisotropies, optical modelling of anisotropic systems, directional dielectric
functions of anisotropic arrangement of metal nanoparticles, annealing-dependent
lost-of-anisotropy are of prime interest.
Keywords Ellipsometry · Plasmonics · Noble metals · Optical model · LSPR
1 Introduction to Optics and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
A branch of physics which deals with the light and sight is called optics. The nature
and properties of light including their interaction with matter is studied under optics
M. Saini
SUNAG Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751005, India
S. Augustine · K. P. Sooraj · M. Ranjan (B)
Facilitiation Centre for Industrial Plasma Technologies, Institute for Plasma Research,
Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 428, India
e-mail: ranjanm@ipr.res.in
M. Saini · S. Augustine · K. P. Sooraj · M. Ranjan
Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094,
India
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. K. Singh et al. (eds.), Modern Techniques of Spectroscopy, Progress in Optical Science
and Photonics 13, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6084-6_20
541