Fundamentals
The physics behind optical film thickness measurement
Fundamentals
The Three Brothers of Optical Thickness Measurement: How Reflectance, Ellipsometry, and White-Light Interferometry Divide the Work
The three mainstream routes of optical thickness measurement — reflectance, ellipsometry,
Fundamentals
A Primer on Surface Roughness Parameters: Ra, Rq, Sa, Sz and the Filtering Behind Them
Hand someone a surface roughness report and the questions that trip them up are rarely the data — they are…
Fundamentals
What Is a Chromatic Confocal Sensor: A Miniature Spectrometer in a Single Optical Path
In the family of optical metrology, chromatic confocal is the most underrated member.
Fundamentals
Ψ and Δ: The Ellipsometer's Two Parameters and Its Sensitivity
Every performance figure of an ellipsometer ultimately lands on two Greek letters: Ψ (Psi) and Δ (Delta).
Fundamentals
What Is an Ellipsometer: Reading Thin Films with Polarization
Both are non-contact optical ways of measuring films, but the ellipsometer and the reflectance-based film…
Fundamentals
Refractive Index and Thickness Coupling: Why Broadband Is a Necessity
When film thickness is measured from the reflectance spectrum,
Fundamentals
How Film Thickness Is Read Out: The Fringe Physics of the Reflectance Spectrum
Many users spend years with a film thickness gauge while their understanding stops at "shine a light,
Fundamentals
What Is an Optical Reflectance-Based Film Thickness Gauge: From Newton's Rings to Spectral Fitting
In 1704, Newton pressed a convex lens against a flat glass plate and counted the rings of color forming…
