Oscillating-analyzer ellipsometer

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Abstract
The state of polarization of a light beam can be dynamically measured by Fourier analysis of the periodic irradiance variations detected after the beam has passed through an electrooptically oscillating analyzer (OA) composed of an ac‐driven optical rotator (Faraday cell) followed by a fixed analyzer. From the dc, fundamental, and second‐harmonic components of the photodetector current we obtain the same cosine and sine Fourier coefficients (α and β) as would be measured by a rotating analyzer (RA). An ellipsometer based on this principle, called the oscillating‐analyzer ellipsometer (OAE), is proposed with speed and precision comparable to that achieved by the polarization‐modulated ellipsometer (PME) of Jasperson et al. Significantly, the OAE does not require a special polarization modulator but uses a Faraday cell instead. Also of importance is the fact that a comprehensive analysis of the effect of systematic errors recently developed for the rotating‐analyzer ellipsometer (RAE) applies, in its entirety, to the OAE. Whenever appropriate, the OAE is compared with both the RAE and PME.

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