Elliptometría

Elliptometría is a field of study focused on the measurement and analysis of elliptical polarization. This type of light, where the electric field vector traces out an ellipse in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation, is fundamental in many optical phenomena and technologies. Elliptometría encompasses techniques and instruments designed to precisely determine the parameters of this elliptical polarization, such as the ratio of the semi-major to semi-minor axes and the orientation of the ellipse.

The primary tool for elliptometric measurements is the ellipsometer. Various types of ellipsometers exist, including rotating analyzer ellipsometers, rotating retarder ellipsometers, and phase-modulated ellipsometers, each employing different methods to modulate or detect the polarization state. These instruments can measure changes in polarization that occur when light reflects from or transmits through a sample.

The information obtained from ellipsometry is highly sensitive to the optical properties of materials, including their refractive index and extinction coefficient, as well as their thickness and surface morphology. This makes elliptometría a powerful non-destructive characterization technique. Its applications are widespread, spanning fields such as semiconductor manufacturing, where it is used to monitor thin film deposition and etching processes; materials science, for studying surface coatings and interfaces; and biology, for analyzing the optical properties of biological samples. Researchers and engineers utilize elliptometría to gain detailed insights into material structures and to control optical devices.