Handbook of Ellipsometry

Book excerpt: The Handbook of Ellipsometry is a critical foundation text on an increasingly critical subject. Ellipsometry, a measurement technique based on phase and amplitude changes in polarized light, is becoming popular in a widening array of applications because of increasing miniaturization of integrated circuits and breakthroughs in knowledge of biological macromolecules deriving from DNA and protein surface research. Ellipsometry does not contact or damage samples, and is an ideal measurement technique for determining optical and physical properties of materials at the nano scale. With the acceleration of new instruments and applications now occurring, this book provides an essential foundation for the current science and technology of ellipsometry for scientists and engineers in industry and academia at the forefront of nanotechnology developments in instrumentation, integrated circuits, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. Divided into four parts, this comprehensive handbook covers the theory of ellipsometry, instrumentation, applications, and emerging areas. Experts in the field contributed to its twelve chapters, covering various aspects of ellipsometry.