Chapter 5
Optical Measurement Techniques
Abstract The characterisation as well as improvement of various photonic devices,
functional nanomaterials and quantum structures heavily relies on advanced optical
tools. These tools typically incorporate suitable light sources and detection schemes
to probe properties of the target system optically. Through special measurement
techniques, one can for instance obtain optical images with high spatial resolution
to map features of a sample, or read out spectral properties with sufficient temporal resolution in order to achieve insights into charge-carrier dynamics. While
in many situations, the basic material response is of interest when irradiating light
onto a sample, some techniques address a material’s nonlinearities or composition,
the emission’s coherence or angle-dependencies, or a structure’s phonon modes or
magneto-optical properties. In this chapter, numerous optical measurement techniques are summarised which can be useful in the field of semiconductor photonics,
particularly with an emphasis on the characterisation of two-dimensional semiconductors and quantum structures. Here, practical examples from the author’s works
may encourage further reading of expert literature on these subjects.
5.1 Advanced Optical Tools
Optical measurement techniques are widely developed and have been employed
in many disciplines, ranging from material, structure and device characterisation
to sample imaging and (non-destructive) testing. Optical tools have also heavily
impacted on science in the field of astronomy and medicine. Among those techniques
of great significance for scientists, microscopy and spectroscopy play a major role
in providing insights into the structure of both macroscopic as well as microscopic
objects. For such techniques, often lasers are indispensable tools.
Optical microscopy is widely used for imaging purposes, while derivatives of
the microscope can fulfil very special roles, for instance fluorescence or Raman
microscopy. Among optical microscopes, different operation modes can provide different information about thin films, microscopic objects, height or distribution pro© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Rahimi-Iman, Semiconductor Photonics of Nanomaterials and Quantum Structures,
Springer Series in Solid-State Sciences 196,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69352-7_5
133
Optical Measurement Techniques
Abstract The characterisation as well as improvement of various photonic devices,
functional nanomaterials and quantum structures heavily relies on advanced optical
tools. These tools typically incorporate suitable light sources and detection schemes
to probe properties of the target system optically. Through special measurement
techniques, one can for instance obtain optical images with high spatial resolution
to map features of a sample, or read out spectral properties with sufficient temporal resolution in order to achieve insights into charge-carrier dynamics. While
in many situations, the basic material response is of interest when irradiating light
onto a sample, some techniques address a material’s nonlinearities or composition,
the emission’s coherence or angle-dependencies, or a structure’s phonon modes or
magneto-optical properties. In this chapter, numerous optical measurement techniques are summarised which can be useful in the field of semiconductor photonics,
particularly with an emphasis on the characterisation of two-dimensional semiconductors and quantum structures. Here, practical examples from the author’s works
may encourage further reading of expert literature on these subjects.
5.1 Advanced Optical Tools
Optical measurement techniques are widely developed and have been employed
in many disciplines, ranging from material, structure and device characterisation
to sample imaging and (non-destructive) testing. Optical tools have also heavily
impacted on science in the field of astronomy and medicine. Among those techniques
of great significance for scientists, microscopy and spectroscopy play a major role
in providing insights into the structure of both macroscopic as well as microscopic
objects. For such techniques, often lasers are indispensable tools.
Optical microscopy is widely used for imaging purposes, while derivatives of
the microscope can fulfil very special roles, for instance fluorescence or Raman
microscopy. Among optical microscopes, different operation modes can provide different information about thin films, microscopic objects, height or distribution pro© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Rahimi-Iman, Semiconductor Photonics of Nanomaterials and Quantum Structures,
Springer Series in Solid-State Sciences 196,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69352-7_5
133