Optical Characterization of Epitaxial Semiconductor Layers

The last decade has witnessed an explosive development in the growth of expitaxial layers and structures with atomic-scale dimensions. This progress has created new demands for the characterization of those stuctures. Various methods have been refined and new ones developed with the main emphasis on non-destructive in-situ characterization. Among those, methods which rely on the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter are particularly valuable. In this book standard methods such as far-infrared spectroscopy, ellipsometry, Raman scattering, and high-resolution X-ray diffraction are presented, as well as new advanced techniques which provide the potential for better in-situ characterization of epitaxial structures (such as reflection anistropy spectroscopy, infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, second-harmonic generation, and others). This volume is intended for researchers working at universities or in industry, as well as for graduate students who are interested in the characterization of semiconductor layers and for those entering this field. It summarizes the present-day knowledge and reviews the latest developments important for future ex-situ and in-situ studies.