We discuss ellipsometric measurements using synchrotron radiation and estimate the errors that are due to focusing light onto the sample. Our results lead to the conclusion that ellipsometry is a brightness experiment and can benefit considerably from the use of synchrotron radiation in the mid and far infrared. We report implementation of a synchrotron far-infrared ellipsometer at the U4IR beam line at the National Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National Laboratory, covering the 50–700-cm⁻¹ wave-number range. To illustrate the capability of our setup we have determined the complex dielectric function of the ionic insulator LiF and of the heavily doped semiconductor GaAs (n≈8×10¹⁸ cm⁻³). We also report direct measurements of the optical interplane conductivity of single crystalline La₂CuO_4+δ and a twinned YBa₂Cu₃O₇ crystal. From these data, dynamic atomic effective charges have been determined for La₂CuO_4+δ.

© 1997 Optical Society of America

[Optical Society of America ]

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