Optical characterization of diamond-like carbon films using multi-sample modification of variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry

In the first part, thicknesses and spectral dependences of the optical constants of the diamond like carbon (DLC) films were determined without any parameterization in the range 240–830 nm by multi-sample modification of variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE). DLC films were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) onto silicon single crystal substrates. It was shown that the influence of some defects of the DLC films on the optical constants is suppressed by applying the method of multi-sample modification of VASE. In the second part, the spectral dependences of the determined optical constants were interpreted using a recently developed model of dispersion based on the modified Lorentz oscillator. Two modified Lorentz oscillators corresponding to both π→π* and σ→σ* interband transitions were taken into account. Within this model of dispersion of the optical constants, the concept of the band gap and the existence of localized energy states within the band gap were taken into account as well.