Determination of refractive index, extinction coefficient and thickness of thin films by the method of waveguide mode excitation

We propose a method for measuring simultaneously the refractive index n{sub f}, extinction coefficient m{sub f} and thickness H{sub f} of thin films. The method is based on the resonant excitation of waveguide modes in the film by a TE- or a TM-polarised laser beam in the geometry of frustrated total internal reflection. The values of n{sub f}, m{sub f} and H{sub f} are found by minimising the functional φ = [N{sup -1}Σ{sup N}{sub i=1}(R{sub exp}(θ{sub i}) – R{sub thr}(θ{sub i})){sup 2}]{sup 1/2}, where R{sub exp}(θ{sub i}) and R{sub thr}(θ{sub i}) are the experimental and theoretical coefficients of reflection of the light beam from the interface between the measuring prism and the film at an angle of incidence θ{sub i}. The errors in determining n{sub f}, m{sub f} and H{sub f} by this method are ±2 × 10{sup -4}, ±1 × 10{sup -3} and ±0.5%, respectively. (fiber and integrated optics)