PROBLEM OF POLARIZATION DEGREE IN SPECTROSCOPIC PHOTOMETRIC ELLIPSOMETRY (POLARIMETRY)

The significance of the degree of polarization on reflection from the sample in photometric ellipsometry is examined. The degree of polarization was calculated from the four Stokes parameters that were measured by photometric ellipsometry in the IR region, including an additional retarder in the experimental setup. Examples are given for the polarization-degree spectra in the IR region for film-covered surfaces and polished surfaces as well as for the excitation of surface polaritons and the Berreman effect [Phys. Rev. 130, 2193 (1963)]. In some cases the polarization effects can be explained by an averaging process of the ellipsometric phase over the investigated region.