Treatment of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Background in Total Internal Reflection Ellipsometry: Characterization of RNA Polymerase II Film Formation.

To deal with the general problem of biomolecule specific binding analysis, we have applied the technique of difference spectra to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-enhanced total internal reflection ellipsometry measurement. We suggest a three-step treatment of the SPR background that can easily be integrated with the usual measurement routine. First, making use of the difference spectrum in ellipsometric angle Δ, single peak footprints of the topmost layer are obtained that facilitate its sensitive detection during film growth.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry and polarimetry for materials and systems analysis at the nanometer scale: state-of-the-art, potential, and perspectives.

This paper discusses the fundamentals, applications, potential, limitations, and future perspectives of polarized light reflection techniques for the characterization of materials and related systems and devices at the nanoscale. These techniques include spectroscopic ellipsometry, polarimetry, and reflectance anisotropy. We give an overview of the various ellipsometry strategies for the measurement and analysis of nanometric films, metal nanoparticles and nanowires, semiconductor nanocrystals, and submicron periodic structures.