In-situ Far Ultraviolet Optical Characterization of Atomic Layer Deposited Oxides and Fluorides

In this dissertation, far UV spectroscopy is applied to investigate the optical properties of dielectric thin films grown by atomic layer deposition. The far UV (120 – 200 nm) reflectance for several dielectric oxides and fluorides, including AlF3, Al2O3, Ga2O3, HfO2, and SiO2, was measured at variable angles and thicknesses. Multiple optical calculation methods were developed for the accurate determination of the optical constants from the reflectance. The deduced optical constants were used for optical designs, such as high-reflectivity coatings, and Fabry-Perot bandpass interference filters. Three filters were designed for use at 157 nm, 212 nm, and 248 nm wavelengths, based on multilayer structures consisting of SiO2, Al2O3, HfO2, and AlF3. A thorough error analysis was made to quantify the non-idealities of the optical performance for the designed filters. Far UV spectroscopy was also applied to analyze material mixtures, such as AlF3/Al and h-BN/c-BN mixtures. Using far UV spectroscopy, different phases in the composite can be distinguished, and the volume concentration of each constituent can be determined. A middle UV reflective coating based on A2O3 and AlF3 was fabricated and characterized. The reflective coating has a smooth surface (?? < 1 nm), and a peak reflectance of 25 – 30 % at a wavelength of 196 nm. The peak reflectance deviated from the design, and an analysis of the AlF3 layer prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) indicated the presence of Al-rich clusters, which were associated with the UV absorption. Complementary techniques, such as spectroscopic ellipsometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were used to verify the results from far UV spectroscopy. In conclusion, this Dissertation demonstrated the use of in-situ far UV spectroscopy to investigate the optical properties of thin films at short wavelengths. This work extends the application of far UV spectroscopy to ultrawide bandgap semiconductors and insulators. This work supports a path forward for far UV optical filters and devices. Various errors have been discussed with solutions proposed for future research of methods and materials for UV optics.