Effect of curvature of spherical microscopic indentations on the ellipsometric readout

The authors describe and interpret curvature-related changes to the ellipsometric readout. As model system for a concave curvature, a set of three spherical microscopic indents in silicon (100) of different sizes was prepared by instrumented indentation testing using a spherical indenter. For reference, these samples were characterized by AFM to reveal the topography of each structure. The concavelike indents were analyzed by Mueller-Matrix imaging ellipsometry to extract lateral intensity images of 12 elements of the Mueller-Matrix. As a result of the detailed analysis of the image elements m 22, m 23, and m 14, it was possible to correlate intensity changes and symmetry properties to depolarization and cross polarization induced by the edge threshold and the curved surface of the indent.The authors describe and interpret curvature-related changes to the ellipsometric readout. As model system for a concave curvature, a set of three spherical microscopic indents in silicon (100) of different sizes was prepared by instrumented indentation testing using a spherical indenter. For reference, these samples were characterized by AFM to reveal the topography of each structure. The concavelike indents were analyzed by Mueller-Matrix imaging ellipsometry to extract lateral intensity images of 12 elements of the Mueller-Matrix. As a result of the detailed analysis of the image elements m 22, m 23, and m 14, it was possible to correlate intensity changes and symmetry properties to depolarization and cross polarization induced by the edge threshold and the curved surface of the indent.