Knowledge Pack: Thin Film Characterization with Ellipsometry and Reflectometry
Get instant access to technical resources on thin‑film characterization using ellipsometry and reflectometry techniques, spanning fundamentals, application‑level use cases, and practical measurement guidance.
This knowledge pack includes:
- 1 full-length application note containing three case studies
- 3 full-length webinars covering principles, accuracy, and applications
+ on-demand access to all presentations from our Thin Films & Coatings Symposium
Thin Film Characterization with Ellipsometry and Reflectometry
Ellipsometry and reflectometry enable non‑contact, high‑sensitivity characterization of thin‑film thickness and optical properties, particularly for ultrathin, transparent, and optically complex films. This collection brings together application notes, webinars, and expert presentations that address key measurement principles, compare optical techniques to other thin‑film metrology approaches, and illustrate how ellipsometry and reflectometry are used in practical thin‑film workflows across research, process development, and manufacturing environments.
Our most popular resources, from fundamentals to real-world case studies
This collection provides technical resources on spectroscopic reflectometry and ellipsometry for thin‑film thickness and refractive index characterization, spanning:
- Reflectometry and ellipsometry measurement fundamentals for thin‑film applications
- Film thickness and refractive index measurement with advanced multi‑angle optical techniques
- Comparison of optical metrology with conventional thin‑film measurement methods, including contact‑based approaches
- Real‑world measurement workflows for diverse films and challenging structures — from ultra‑thin sensor coatings to deep semiconductor features
- Application‑level case studies in semiconductor, photonic, and biomedical device manufacturing
Webinar: Thin Film Characterization Using Spectroscopic Reflectometry and Ellipsometry Techniques
RESOURCE TYPE: Webinar presentation
LENGTH: ~45 minutes
DESCRIPTION:
Bruker experts discuss and demostrate spectroscopic reflectometry and ellipsometry techniques and the advantages of polarized light methods for measuring thin films — specifically films on silicon and today's complex semiconductor devices (multi-layer/multi-stack). Topics include theoretical fundamentals, accuracy and measurement ranges, Bruker's unique algorithms and hardware implementations, and real-life use cases in both medical device and semiconductor applications.
VIEWERS WILL LEARN:
- How reflectometry and ellipsometry each measure film thickness and material optical properties
- How to get more complete thin-film measurements by combining spectroscopic reflectometry and ellipsometry
- When advanced multi-angle optical techniques are necessary
- Real-world application examples in medical device and semiconductor manufacturing
- Key considerations for instrument selection, including detection limits, metal films, transparent polymers, and turnkey options
Application Note: Measuring Thickness of Biologically Active Films for Medical Devices and Sensors
RESOURCE TYPE: Application Note [PDF]
LENGTH: 4 pages
DESCRIPTION:
This application note illustrates how advanced reflectometry and ellipsometry are used to measure film thickness in biomedical device manufacturing. Case studies on glucose sensors, tissue sealers, and blood sensors demonstrate how non-contact, small-spot measurement enables accurate thickness control to the sub-angstrom level across entire production wafers.
READERS WILL LEARN:
Why film thickness measurement is critical for medical device manufacturing and patient safety
How multi-angle reflectometry and ellipsometry address biomedical film characterization challenges across glucose, tissue, and blood sensor applications
Advantages of small-spot, collimated-beam technology for thick coatings and rough substrates
- How integrated automation (wafer handling, barcode scanning, SECS/GEM software) supports high-volume manufacturing consistency
Webinar: High-Resolution Measurement of Film Thickness and Refractive Index for Silicon Photonics and Planar Waveguide Applications
RESOURCE TYPE: Webinar presentation
LENGTH: ~1 hour
DESCRIPTION:
Bruker experts introduce advanced multi-angle spectroscopic reflectometry and ellipsometry for the high-resolution thickness and refractive index demands of silicon photonics and planar waveguide applications. The discussion highlights how non-contact FilmTek techniques achieve significantly higher refractive index resolution than conventional prism coupler methods across materials including SiON, Si₃N₄, Ge‑SiO₂, P‑SiO₂, BPSG, APOX, and HiPOX.
VIEWERS WILL LEARN:
Why precise film thickness and refractive index measurement is critical for photonic device performance
- Advantages and limitations of different measurement approaches for multi-layer photonic structures
- When conventional optical tools reach their limits and how combining reflectometry and ellipsometry at multiple angles overcomes those limitations
- How multi-angle spectroscopic techniques achieve a 10× refractive index resolution advantage over prism coupler methods
How non-contact methods support R&D characterization and automated in-line process control
Video: Optical Metrology for Front-End Semi Process Control
RESOURCE TYPE: Video (part of our "Maximizing Process Efficiency and Yield with High-Performance Metrology Techniques" series)
LENGTH: ~15 minutes
DESCRIPTION:
Bruker experts show how FilmTek optical metrology tools — using spectroscopic reflectometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and multiple-angle reflectometry — support thin-film characterization for front-end semiconductor process control. The presentation shows how combining multi-angle deep-UV reflectance and ellipsometry data expands measurement capabilities beyond the known limits of individual techniques, with real-world examples from sub-nanometer dielectric films to 200 µm-deep MEMS trench structures.
VIEWERS WILL LEARN:
- How combining reflectometry and ellipsometry removes ambiguity that single techniques cannot
- How to measure ultra‑thin films while resolving both thickness and refractive index
How non-contact methods support R&D characterization and automated in-line process control
- What to consider when measuring complex multi‑layer stacks such as ONO structures
- How small, collimated measurement spots enable accurate results on patterned wafers
- Advantages and limitations of different measurement approaches for multi-layer photonic structures
