Variable angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometric characterization of TiO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e/Ag/TiO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e optical coatings

Optical constants (3000–8000 Å) and layer thicknesses of TiO2/Ag/TiO2 optical coatings are determined using variable angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry. Ellipsometrically determined silver layer thicknesses agree well with those obtained by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Also, spectral characteristics, absent in bulk silver data, are observed in n and k spectra for the thin silver layers. It is suggested that these structures may be caused by plasmon effects from the silver layers