The present monograph represents itself as a tutorial to the ?eld of optical properties of thin solid ?lms. It is neither a handbook for the thin ?lm prac- tioner,noranintroductiontointerferencecoatingsdesign,norareviewonthe latest developments in the ?eld. Instead, it is a textbook which shall bridge the gap between ground level knowledge on optics, electrodynamics, qu- tummechanics,andsolidstatephysicsononehand,andthemorespecialized level of knowledge presumed in typical thin ?lm optical research papers on the other hand. In writing this preface, I feel it makes sense to comment on three points, which all seem to me equally important. They arise from the following (- tually interconnected) three questions: 1. Who can bene?t from reading this book? 2. What is the origin of the particular material selection in this book? 3. Who encouraged and supported me in writing this book? Let me start with the ?rst question, the intended readership of this book. It should be of use for anybody, who is involved into the analysis of - tical spectra of a thin ?lm sample, no matter whether the sample has been prepared for optical or other applications. Thin ?lm spectroscopy may be r- evant in semiconductor physics, solar cell development, physical chemistry, optoelectronics, and optical coatings development, to give just a few ex- ples. The book supplies the reader with the necessary theoretical apparatus for understanding and modelling the features of the recorded transmission and re?ection spectra.
Optical coatings, i.e. multilayer stacks composed from a certain number of thin individual layers, are an essential part of any optical system necessary to tailor the properties of the optical surfaces. Hereby, the performance of any optical coating is defined by a well-balanced interplay between the properties of the individual coating materials and the geometrical parameters (such as film thickness) which define their arrangement. In all scientific books dealing with the performance of optical coatings, the main focus is on optimizing the geometrical coating parameters, particularly the number of individual layers and their thickness. At the same time, much less attention is paid to another degree of freedom in coating design, namely the possibility to tailor optical material properties to an optimum relevant for the required specification. This book, on the contrary, concentrates on the material aside of the problem. After a comprehensive review of the basics of thin film theory, traditional optical coating material properties and their relation to the efficiency of coating design methods, emphasis is placed on novel results concerning the application of material mixtures and nanostructured coatings in optical coating theory and practice, including porous layers, dielectric mixtures as well as metal island films for different applications.
This book offers a didactic introduction to light–matter interactions at both the classical and semi-classical levels. Pursuing an approach that describes the essential physics behind the functionality of any optical element, it acquaints students with the broad areas of optics and photonics. Its rigorous, bottom-up approach to the subject, using model systems ranging from individual atoms and simple molecules to crystalline and amorphous solids, gradually builds up the reader’s familiarity and confidence with the subject matter. Throughout the book, the detailed mathematical treatment and examples of practical applications are accompanied by problems with worked-out solutions. In short, the book provides the most essential information for any graduate or advanced undergraduate student wishing to begin their course of study in the field of photonics, or to brush up on important concepts prior to an examination.
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