No abstract

Nanometric profiles of sputtered ultra-thin Pd layers with thicknesses in the range 1 - 10 nm were investigated by capturing the leaking evanescent light from optical waveguides. The Pd films were deposited by sputtering on glass substratesalso servingas light waveguides. Calibrating the thickness values for the ultra-thin Pd films obtained from the sputtering rate combined with the DELI estimation technique, gave detailed 1Dand 3D morphological nanometric profiles of the deposited layers.

A discrete model of the Differential Evanescent Light Intensity (DELI) technique was developed to calculate and map 3D nanolayers thicknesses from the evanescent light intensity captured from optical waveguides. The model was used for ultra-thin Pd nanometric layers sputtered on glass substrates. The layers thickness profiles were displayed in 3D and 1D profiles plots. The total thickness profiles of the ultra-thin Pd films obtained in the range of 1-10 nm were validated using AFM measurements. Based on the model developed the evanescent photon extraction parameter of the material was estimated.