Determination of optical constants of silver layers in ZnO/Ag/ZnO coatings using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry

Abstract

ZnO/Ag/ZnO coatings on glass with different silver layer thickness were studied using variable angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE). Different optimization procedures were used to calculate the thicknesses of all layers and the optical constants of the Ag layers in the 300–800 nm spectral region. The silver layer thickness determined from ellipsometry are consistent, within evaluated regions of uncertainty, with those obtained by cross sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). The calculated Ag dielectric constants and the Drude parameters are close to those of bulk Ag, but depend on the layer thickness. It is proposed that some peaks found in the calculated energy loss spectra are due to the generation of surface plasmons.