Optical characterization of thin chalcogenide films by multiple-angle-of-incidence ellipsometry

Optical properties of thin chalcogenide films from the systems As–S(Se) and As–S–Se were investigated as a function of the film composition, film thickness and conditions of illumination by light using multiple-angle-of-incidence ellipsometry. Thin films were deposited by thermal evaporation and exposed to white light (halogen lamp) and to monochromatic light from Ar+ — (λ = 488, 514 nm) and He–Ne- (λ = 632.8 nm) lasers. The ellipsometric measurements were carried out at three different angles of light incidence in the interval 45–55°, at λ = 632.8 nm. An isotropic absorbing layer model was applied for calculation of the optical constants (refractive index, n and extinction coefficient, k) and film thickness, d. The homogeneity of the films was checked and verified by applying single-angle calculations at different angles. It was shown that the refractive index, n of As–S–Se films is independent of film thickness in the range of 50 to 1000 nm and its values varied from 2.45 to 3.05 for thin layers with composition As2S3 and As2Se3, respectively. The effect of increasing in the refractive index was observed after exposure to light which is related to the process of photodarkening in arsenic containing layers. The viability of the method for determining the optical constants of very thin chalcogenide films with a high accuracy was confirmed.