Refractive index measurement of pure and Er3+-doped ZrO2-SiO2 sol-gel film by using the Brewster angle technique

The application of the Brewster angle technique and a genetic algorithm for the measurements of refractive index and thickness in tetragonal ZrO2:Er3+ and ZrO2-SiO2 films prepared by the sol-gel process and dip-coating technique annealed at 550degreesC are reported. A precision higher than 99.5% and 98% in the refractive index and thickness measurements were obtained, respectively. Analysis of the capability to tune the refractive index of high-density blend films by changing the molar concentration of zirconium dioxide, with an increment rate of (0.0052 +/- 0.0004)/mol, are also presented. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.