Characterization of Volume Gratings Based on Distributed Dielectric Constant Model Using Mueller Matrix Ellipsometry

Abstract

Volume grating is a key optical component due to its comprehensive applications. Other than the common grating structures, volume grating is essentially a predesigned refractive index distribution recorded in materials, which raises the challenges of metrology. Although we have demonstrated the potential application of ellipsometry for volume grating characterization, it has been limited due to the absence of general forward model reflecting the refractive index distribution. Herein, we introduced a distributed dielectric constant based rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) model to interpret the interaction between the incident light and volume grating, with which the Mueller matrix can be calculated. Combining with a regression analysis with the objective to match the measured Mueller matrices with minimum mean square error (MSE), the parameters of the dielectric constant distribution function can be determined. The proposed method has been demonstrated using a series of simulations of measuring the volume gratings with different dielectric constant distribution functions. Further demonstration has been carried out by experimental measurements on volume holographic gratings recorded in the composite of polymer and zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles. By directly fitting the spatiotemporal concentration of the nanoparticles, the diffusion coefficient has been further evaluated, which is consistent to the result reported in our previous investigations.

Polarisation optics for biomedical and clinical applications: a review

“…This is often essential in biomedical polarimetry, whose applications normally involve scattering induced light depolarisation 20 – 23 . There exists an increasing trend in both modern ellipsometry and polarimetry to deal with increasingly complex media, moving from isotropic and homogeneous media towards anisotropic and inhomogeneous ones 20 – 31 . While modern ellipsometry is developing towards full polarisation measurement using the Stokes–Mueller formalism, advanced polarimetry is gradually changing from full vectorial measurement to partial detection, as some key features of biomedical specimens could possibly be revealed through partial, rather than complete, measurements of vectorial information 16 , 32 , 33 .…”

Special Issue on Precision Dimensional Measurements

“…It can save substantial data memory while remaining in good quality [9]. We are pleased to have the contribution by Professor Liu at HUST on the Mueller matrix technique for nanostructure scatterometry [10] and ellipsometry [11]. Li et al deals with the method of measuring a large aspherical mirror and identifying its vertex position [12].…”

Nonlocal quantum differentiation between polarization objects using entanglement

“…Understanding the polarization response of an object of interest can reveal characteristic features in the sample's structure and/or behavior, e.g., the birefringence of crystals and biotissues, 1,2 polarization selectivity in reflection/transmission of periodic structures, [3][4][5] and chemical composition via detection of chiral proteins, molecules, or their assemblies. 6,7 The knowledge about the object under study that can be thus acquired is then widely employed for optical biomedical diagnostics, [8][9][10] the control of nonlinear phenomena, 11 fundamental studies, 12 technical characterization, 13,14 and remote sensing, 15 as well as for currently expanding quantum technologies in the fields of communication, computing, and metrology. 16,17 A comprehensive characterization in terms of polarization is enabled by the well-acknowledged techniques of classical optics-Stokes and Mueller polarimetry 18 -which are based on projective analysis of the polarization state or its change.…”