Forouhi-Bloomer and Tauc-Lorentz optical dispersions applied using spectroscopic ellipsometry to plasma-deposited fluorocarbon films

Optical properties of the fluorocarbon (FC) films plasma deposited on Si substrates are evaluated in this work using multiple sample analysis (MSA)-based spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) with representing the film optical constants by the Forouhi-Bloomer (FB) and Tauc-Lorentz (TL) optical dispersions. This SE analysis supported also with other film investigations results in a two-layer optical model consisting of an interface assimilated to FC species-permeated Si layer beneath a surface smooth, homogeneous, and isotropic FC bulk film. Both dispersions yield a low-dielectric constant quality visible range refractive index of 1.39 and almost identical model layer thicknesses. Deposition-dominated linear film growth is thus asserted. Specifically, the FB dispersion better describes the region near absorption cutoff with taking up a lower optical band gap (OBG) than that of the TL dispersion, indicating thereby that particular FC film absorptions included in the FB dispersion are excluded in the other. Also, the FB index spectrum tends to peak towards a broad maximum in the ultraviolet (UV) wavelength range, whereas this trend is absent in the TL index spectrum probably removed by the TL parameter cross correlations although reduced by MSA. Sample to sample analysis further shows that the TL parameter correlation is accentuated by the instrument-limited UV range. The FB parameters are much less affected by cross correlation such that even the sample to sample analysis may be readily used in conjuncture with the FB dispersion for thicker FC films above 150 nm to monitor their index and OBG in tailoring desired film physical properties through deposition conditions. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.