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Localized surface plasmons-polaritons represent collective behavior of free electrons confined to metal particles. This effect may be used for enhancing efficiency of solar cells and for other opto-electronic applications. Plasmon resonance strongly affects optical properties of ultra-thin, island-like, metal films. In the present work, the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method is used to model transmittance spectra of thin gold island films grown on a glass substrate. The FDTD calculations were performed for island structure, corresponding to the Volmer-Weber model of thin film growth. The proposed simulation model is based on fitting of experimental data on nanostructure of ultra-thin gold films, reported in several independent studies, to the FDTD simulation setup. The results of FDTD modeling are then compared to the experimentally measured transmittance spectra of prepared thin gold films and found to be in a good agreement with experimental data.

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Physical properties of thin films significantly differ from those of bulk materials. Also, these properties are influenced from the technological parameters of the films deposition technique. Therefore, characterization methods for evaluation of thin film properties become of high importance. A novel approach to the well-known "Hot-Probe" method is proposed and applied in our work. The conventional Hot Probe characterization method enables only the definition of a semiconductor type, P or N, by identifying the majority of the charged carriers. According to the new Hot Probe technique, one can measure and calculate the impurities concentration and charged carriers dynamic parameters. Feasibility proof of the upgraded Hot Probe method was done in Si and Ge bulk, and in thin film semiconductor samples of In 2 O 3 and VO 2 .

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