Abstract
This article provides a brief overview of both established and novel
ellipsometry techniques, as well as their applications. Ellipsometry is an indirect
optical technique, in that information about the physical properties of a sample is
obtained through modeling analysis. Standard ellipsometry is typically used to
characterize optically isotropic bulk and/or layered materials. More advanced
techniques such as Mueller ellipsometry, also known as polarimetry in the
literature, are necessary for the complete and accurate characterization of
anisotropic and/or depolarizing samples that occur in many instances, both in
research and in real-life activities. In this article, we cover three main subject
areas: Basic theory of polarization, standard ellipsometry, and Mueller
ellipsometry. The first section is devoted to a short, pedagogical introduction of
the formalisms used to describe light polarization. The second section is devoted to
standard ellipsometry. The focus is on the experimental aspects, including both pros
and cons of commercially available instruments. The third section is devoted to
recent advances in Mueller ellipsometry. Application examples are provided in the
second and third sections to illustrate how each technique works.
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