Thickness and birefringence of thin films assessed by interferometry using a low-cost spectrometer

Abstract

The interference has significant importance from the viewpoints of fundamental science and applications. Though the experimental exercise and assessment based on numerical data are inevitable to understand the interference, it is challenging to perform classwork using spectrometers in a large teaching room due to the high-cost problems. In this work, the authors assessed low-cost spectrometers' availability and analysis methods for transmittance/reflectivity measurements for polymer films and their educational applications. The results show the accuracy and convenience of the apparatus and the methods.

Keywords:

• birefringence
• film thickness
• Spectrometer

Acknowledgements

The author appreciates all Department of Materials Science and Engineering faculty members, National Defense Academy, for their financial and technical supports.

Additional information

Funding

Part of this work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers 18H03684 and 21K13896.