Critical-point model dielectric function analysis of WO3 thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition techniques

Abstract

WO3 thin films were grown by atomic layer deposition and spectroscopic ellipsometry data gathered in the photon energy range of 0.72–8.5 eV, and from multiple samples were utilized to determine the frequency dependent complex-valued isotropic dielectric function for WO3. We employ a critical-point model dielectric function analysis and determine a parameterized set of oscillators and compare the observed critical-point contributions with the vertical transition energy distribution found within the band structure of WO3 calculated by the density functional theory. The surface roughness was investigated using atomic force microscopy, and compared with the effective roughness as seen by the spectroscopic ellipsometry.