Chinese Optics Letters, Volume. 14, Issue 8, 081203(2016)

Interference-aided spectrum-fitting method for accurate film thickness determination

Xingxing Liu1,2,3, Shaowei Wang1,2、*, Hui Xia1, Xutao Zhang1,3, Ruonan Ji1,2,3, Tianxin Li1,2, and Wei Lu1,2
Author Affiliations
  • 1National Laboratory for Infrared Physics, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200083, China
  • 2Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Energy-Saving Coatings, Shanghai 200083, China
  • 3University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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    Figures & Tables(6)
    Structure diagram of (a) traditional method and (c) interference-aided spectrum-fitting method. Simulated transmission spectra of (b) traditional method and (d) interference-aided spectrum-fitting method with different thickness undetermined films.
    (a) Simulated peak shift and amplitude caused by undetermined film vs. refractive index difference between interference layer and substrate, and (b) simulated peak shift and peak position versus thickness of interference layer. The refractive indexes and thicknesses of the substrate and undetermined film were set as 1.52 and 1.70, 1.0 and 5.0 nm in this simulation, respectively.
    (a) Measured (taken by Lambda 950) and fitted transmission spectra of interference layer Nb2O5 deposited on K9 glass; measured (taken by Lambda 950), fitted transmission spectra and AFM results of (b) 3.5, (c) 5.4, (d) 7.3, (e) 11.8, and (f) 15.8 nm ultra-thin films on interference layer.
    (a) Transmission spectra of interference layers n=1.9 and 2.1 and structure diagram of double interference-aided spectra fitting method, and (b) peak shift vs. thickness of undetermined films on interference layers n=1.9 and 2.1.
    • Table 1. Comparison of Simulated Thickness Determination Results Between Traditional and Our Methods with SNR of 1000∶1

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      Table 1. Comparison of Simulated Thickness Determination Results Between Traditional and Our Methods with SNR of 1000∶1

      dU/nmdU/nm
      nU=2.10nU=1.70nU=1.52
      Traditional method (error)Our method (error)Traditional method (error)Our method (error)Traditional method (error)Our method (error)
      15.014.9(−1%)15.0(0%)14.8(−1%)15.0(0%)59.3(293%)15.0(0%)
      10.011.1(11%)10.0(0%)15.1(51%)10.0(0%)59.0(490%)10.0(0%)
      7.08.7(24%)7.0(0%)15.2(117%)7.0(0%)139.4(1891%)7.0(0%)
      5.07.1(42%)5.0(0%)12.7(154%)5.0(0%)142.2(2744%)5.0(0%)
      3.07.3(143%)3.0(0%)8.9(197%)3.0(0%)132.2(4307%)3.0(0%)
      2.07.5(275%)1.9(−5%)9.0(350%)2.1(5%)203.7(10085%)1.4(−30%)
      1.07.6(660%)1.0(0%)9.1(810%)1.3(30%)254.2(25320%)1.5(50%)
    • Table 2. Results of Ultra-thin Film Thickness Experimentally Determined with Different Methods

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      Table 2. Results of Ultra-thin Film Thickness Experimentally Determined with Different Methods

      MethodThickness of SiO2/nm
      AFM3.55.47.311.812.915.8
      Lambda 950 with interference-aided method3.15.67.811.113.516.5
      Fiber spectrometer with interference-aided method1.31.43.15.810.112.2
      Lambda 950 with double interference-aided method3.45.57.611.313.115.9
      Fiber spectrometer with double interference-aided method3.25.16.810.913.615.5
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    Xingxing Liu, Shaowei Wang, Hui Xia, Xutao Zhang, Ruonan Ji, Tianxin Li, Wei Lu, "Interference-aided spectrum-fitting method for accurate film thickness determination," Chin. Opt. Lett. 14, 081203 (2016)

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    Paper Information

    Category: Instrumentation, measurement, and metrology

    Received: Mar. 31, 2016

    Accepted: Jun. 14, 2016

    Published Online: Aug. 3, 2018

    The Author Email: Shaowei Wang (wangshw@mail.sitp.ac.cn)

    DOI:10.3788/COL201614.081203

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