Abstract

Spectra of thermally grown amorphous SiO₂ (a-SiO₂) films upon a silicon wafer with thicknesses ranging from 12 to 647 nm were measured with an infrared phase-modulated ellipsometer. The observed shifts of the transverse-optical- and longitudinal-optical-mode frequencies of the Si—O bond stretching vibration as functions of the films thickness are shown to be pure optical effects. These shifts are described in terms of the classical electromagnetic theory. The characteristic features of this optical phenomenon are discussed in detail. A method for analytical elimination of this thickness-dependent line shift is proposed.

© 1995 Optical Society of America

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