Determination of Optical Constants of Metals by Reflectivity Measurements

Abstract

A method is described in which the reflectivity of linearly polarized light at various angles of incidence on plane evaporated samples of pure metals is measured throughout the spectral range from 4800A to 24,000A. By use of the electromagnetic equations describing the reflection process a graphical method for obtaining the optical constants from the data is worked out. The results are comparable in sensitivity and accuracy with other methods for certain limited ranges of the values of the constants.