Dual vertically oriented triangular shaped optical retarder element for use in spectroscopic ellipsometer and polarimeter systems

A method of practicing ellipsometry/polarimetry comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a spectroscopic ellipsometer/polarimeter system sequentially comprising:
• a source of electromagnetic radiation;
• at least one selection from the group consisting of:
• a non-Brewster angle dual wire grid polarizer system and a compensator system;
• said at least one selection from the group consisting of:
• a wire non-Brewster angle dual grid polarizer system and a compensator system
• being of a design such that in use an incident beam of electromagnetic radiation is caused to impinge upon a side thereof along a propagation direction which is other than perpendicular to a surface of said side thereof and undergo at least one interaction therewith selected from the group consisting of:
• at least partially reflect from said surface of said side;
• and
• at least partially transmit through said surface of said side;
• such that at least a portion of said beam of electromagnetic radiation emerges from said at least one selection from the group consisting of:
• a non-Brewster angle dual wire grid polarizer system and a compensator system;
• after undergoing at least one additional interaction therewith selected from the group consisting of:
• at least partial reflection from, and
• at least partial transmission through
• a surface of a second side of said at least one selection from the group consisting of:
• a non-Brewster angle dual wire grid polarizer system and a compensator system;
• said emerging beam of electromagnetic radiation being in a state of polarization which is altered as compared to that of said incident beam of electromagnetic radiation, but which emerging beam of electromagnetic radiation proceeds in a propagation direction essentially undeviated and undisplaced from the propagation direction of said incident beam of electromagnetic radiation;
• an analyzer system;
• and
• a detector system;
• b. placing a sample system into said spectroscopic ellipsometer/polarimeter system;
• c. causing said source of electromagnetic radiation to provide a beam of electromagnetic radiation to said sample;
• and
• d. detecting said beam of electromagnetic radiation after interaction thereof with said sample system.

A method of practicing ellipsometry/polarimetry comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a spectroscopic ellipsometer/polarimeter system sequentially comprising:
• a source of spectroscopic electromagnetic radiation;
• at least one retarder system comprising a first triangular shaped element, which as viewed in side elevation presents with first and second sides which project to the left and right and downward from an upper point, which first triangular shaped element first and second sides have reflective outer surfaces;
• said retarder system further comprising a second triangular shaped element which as viewed in side elevation presents with first and second sides which project to the left and right and downward from an upper point, said second triangular shaped element being made of material which provides reflective interfaces on first and second sides inside thereof;
• said second triangular shaped element being oriented with respect to the first triangular shaped element such that the upper point of said second triangular shaped element is oriented essentially vertically directly above the upper point of said first triangular shaped element;
• such that in use an input electromagnetic beam of radiation caused to approach one of said first and second sides of said first triangular shaped element along an essentially horizontally oriented locus, and regardless of polarization state, is caused to externally reflect from an outer surface thereof and travel along a locus which is essentially upwardly vertically oriented, then enter said second triangular shaped element and essentially totally internally reflect from one of said first and second sides thereof, then proceed along an essentially horizontal locus and essentially totally internally reflect from the other of said first and second sides and proceed along an essentially downward vertically oriented locus, then externally reflect from the other of said first and second sides of said first triangular shaped elements and proceed along an essentially horizontally oriented locus which is undeviated and undisplaced from the essentially horizontally oriented locus of said input beam of essentially horizontally oriented electromagnetic radiation even when said retarder system is caused to rotate about the locus of said beam of essentially horizontally oriented electromagnetic radiation;
• with a result being that retardation is entered between orthogonal components of said input electromagnetic beam of radiation;
• an analyzer system;
• and
• a detector system;
• b. placing a sample system into said spectroscopic ellipsometer/polarimeter system;
• c. causing said source of electromagnetic radiation to provide a beam of electromagnetic radiation to said sample system, and also pass through said at least one retarder system;
• and
• d. detecting said beam of electromagnetic radiation after interaction thereof with said sample system.

A compensator/retarder system comprising:

• a first triangular shaped element having first and second sides which project at an angle with respect to one another from a common point, said first and second sides of said first triangular shaped element being made of a material which provides that said first and second sides have externally reflective surfaces;
• said compensator/retarder system further comprising a second triangular shaped element which presents with first and second sides which project at an angle with respect to one another from a common point, said second triangular shaped element being made of material which provides reflective interfaces on first and second sides inside thereof;
• said second triangular shaped element being oriented with respect to said first triangular shaped element such that in use an input electromagnetic beam of radiation caused to approach one of said first and second sides of said first triangular shaped element, and regardless of polarization state, is caused to externally reflect therefrom and enter said second triangular shaped element element and essentially totally internally reflect from one of said first and second sides thereof, then essentially totally internally reflect from the other of said first and second sides and then proceed to and reflect from the other of said first and second sides of said first triangular shape element and proceed along a propagation direction locus which is essentially undeviated and undisplaced from that of said input electromagnetic beam of radiation, even when said compensator/retarder is caused to rotate about the locus of said beam of electromagnetic radiation;
• with a result being that retardation is entered between orthogonal components of said input electromagnetic beam of radiation.

In a spectroscopic ellipsometer/polarimeter system, a compensator/retarder system comprising:

• a first triangular shaped element having first and second sides which project at an angle with respect to one another from a common point, said first and second sides of said first triangular shaped element being made of a material which provides that said first and second sides have externally reflective surfaces;
• said compensator/retarder system further comprising:
• a second triangular shaped element which presents with first and second sides which project at an angle with respect to one another from a common point, said second triangular shaped element being made of material which provides reflective interfaces on first and second sides inside thereof;
• said second triangular shaped element being oriented with respect to said first triangular shaped element such that in use an input electromagnetic beam of radiation caused to approach one of said first and second sides of said first triangular shaped element, is caused to externally reflect therefrom and enter said second triangular shaped element element and essentially totally internally reflect from one of said first and second sides thereof, then essentially totally internally reflect from the other of said first and second sides and then proceed to and reflect from the other of said first and second sides of said first triangular shape element and proceed along a propagation direction locus which is essentially undeviated and undisplaced from that of said input electromagnetic beam of radiation, even when said compensator/retarder is caused to rotate about the locus of said beam of electromagnetic radiation;
• with a result being that retardation is entered between orthogonal components of said input electromagnetic beam of radiation.

A method of practicing ellipsometry/polarimetry comprising the steps of:

• a. providing an ellipsometer/polarimeter system sequentially comprising:
• a source of electromagnetic radiation;
• at least one retarder system which comprises:
• a first triangular shaped element having first and second sides which project at an angle with respect to one another from a common point, said first and second sides of said first triangular shaped element being made of a material which provides that said first and second sides have externally reflective surfaces;
• said compensator/retarder system further comprising:
• a second triangular shaped element which presents with first and second sides which project at an angle with respect to one another from a common point, said second triangular shaped element being made of material which provides reflective interfaces on first and second sides inside thereof;
• said second triangular shaped element being oriented with respect to said first triangular shaped element such that in use an input electromagnetic beam of radiation caused to approach one of said first and second sides of said first triangular shaped element, and regardless of polarization state, is caused to externally reflect therefrom and enter said second triangular shaped element element and essentially totally internally reflect from one of said first and second sides thereof, then essentially totally internally reflect from the other of said first and second sides and then proceed to and reflect from the other of said first and second sides of said first triangular shape element and proceed along a propagation direction locus which is essentially undeviated and undisplaced from that of said input electromagnetic beam of radiation, even when said compensator/retarder is caused to rotate about the locus of said beam of electromagnetic radiation;
• with a result being that retardation is entered between orthogonal components of said input electromagnetic beam of radiation;
• an analyzer system;
• and
• a detector system;
• b. placing a sample system into said ellipsometer/polarimeter system;
• c. causing said source of electromagnetic radiation to provide a beam of electromagnetic radiation to said sample system and also pass through said at least one retarder system;
• and
• d. detecting said beam of electromagnetic radiation after interaction thereof with said sample system.