NAT'L INST. OF STAND & TECH

NBS TECHNICAL NOTE 1198

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/National Bureau of Standards

gical Conse

Hard Optical Bound:
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

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NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

LI=.3AKY Metrological Consequences of the

Hard Optical Boundary Assumption

U S"7'i"3.

A. George Lieberman

Center for Manufacturing Engineering

National Engineering Laboratory

National Bureau of Standards

Gaithersburg, MD 20899

£ If *o ^a

*<">eAU O^

Q*

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Malcolm Baldrige, Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler, Director

Issued July 1 984
National Bureau of Standards Technical Note 1 1 98

Natl. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Tech. Note 1 198, 30 pages (July 1984)

CODEN: NBTNAE

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1984

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents. U S. Government Printing Office, Washington. DC 20402
CONTENTS

Page

1. Introduction 2

2. The Hard Optical Boundary and Fresnel Theory 4

3. The Exponential Surface Transition 9

4. Summary of the Reflection Coefficient Formulation and the Wave

Admittance Formulation 18

5. The Lang-Kohn Transition 20

6. Conclusions 25

7. Acknowledgements 26

8. References 26

xxi

Metrological Consequences of the Hard Optical

Boundary Assumption

A. George Lieberman

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, DC 202 34

ABSTRACT

The reflection of s-polarized light propagating in vacuum by

a metal surface is examined for two descriptions of the vacuum-metal

interface: the exponential surface transition and the Lang-Kohn

transition. Both models treat the metal as a lossless, non-magnetic

jellium material, but differ in the spatial distributions of their

constituent charges. The displacement of the optical surface relative

to the mechanical surface caused by the transition is evaluated for each

model. Computerized results are presented for the optical displacement

and phase change upon reflection from a sodium surface for the theoretically

superior Lang-Kohn model. The measurement errors which result from

ignoring the vacuum-metal transition become more significant as the angle

of incidence is increased.

Key Words: exponential transition; hard boundary assumption; jellium

model; Lang-Kohn transition; metal surface; optical boundary; optical

displacement error; optical metrology; reflection coefficient; Ricatti

equation; surface transition; wave immittance
1 . INTRODUCTION

A clean, optically polished surface is customarily regarded as a

physically abrupt termination to an otherwise uniform medium. This

attitude is predicated upon a poor understanding of surface microstructure

and the convenient applicability of classical Fresnel theory. However

the consequences of neglecting a surface transition, occupying approximately

0.5 nm at a vacuum-metal interface, may not be insignificant.

Corrections accounting for the presence of an oxide or contaminant

film, or the skin-depth of the electromagnetic field at a metal surface,

are routine metrological considerations. Nevertheless, the systematic

error introduced by the surface transition is not accounted for. In order

to estimate the magnitude of this error for an arbitary metal a detailed

analysis is provided for an alkali metal for which an excellent theoretical

model [5]-"- exists.

This report commences with a review of Fresnel 1 s theory of reflection

from a homogeneous medium (fig. la). This establishes a basis for

interpreting the effect of a surface transition and a formalism for

locating the apparent plane of reflection (optical surface) in the presence

of a transition. Two descriptions of the vacuum-metal transition are

examined. The first is an empirical model in which the electron density

exhibits an exponential variation across the interface (fig. lb).

Fresnel theory does not apply here and the reflection coefficient must be

determined from first principles; namely, as an electromagnetic boundary

value solution of Maxwell's field equations. Analysis of the exponential

transition leads to an analytical expression for the phase shift upon

1 Numbers in brackets indicate literature references listed at the end of

the report.
JN(z)

1

t

Vacuum Metal —

(a) Hard Boundary Approximation

N(z)

Vacuum Metal

(b) Exponential Surface Transition

'N(z)

Vacuum

(c) Lang-Kohn Model

Figure 1. Three descriptions of the vacuum-metal interface. The electron

and ion density distributions, N(z) , are identical in (a) and

(b) but not in (c) where the electron density distribution

deviates from the uniform ion density.
reflection, and locates the optical surface behind the mechanical surface

of the metal.

The second description of the vacuum-metal interface is a semiclassical theoretical model known as the Lang-Kohn transition (fig. lc).

The electron density is specified numerically but fortunately knowledge

of the field configuration is not essential for determining the phase

shift of the reflected field. Instead, a formulation based on the wave

admittance is used to calculate the phase shift. In this case the apparent

plane of reflection is found to be positioned slightly in front of the

ion surface.

2. THE HARD OPTICAL BOUNDARY AND FRESNEL THEORY

Consider the reflection into vacuum of an s-polarized monochromatic

plane wave from the surface of an arbitrary depth-dependent medium

(fig. 2). The total electric field in the vacuum region (z < 0) due

to the incident wave and its reflection is given by the real part of

E = E

i

e ^wt k

x

x)

[ e ik

z

z + R e ik

z Z]

= E. e-^t-lvH^z) fl + iRle^^o-^z2 )], (2-1)

where R = [Rlei^o is the reflection coefficient of the half-space

evaluated, for any time t, at the boundary z = 0. At this plane, R is the

ratio of the complex vector field amplitude of the reflected wave to

that of the incident wave, E^. The total intensity, I, of the radiation

within this region is proportional to | E j ^ . Thus

I = I i [l+JR| 2 + 2|R|cos((j) -2k

z z)], (2-2)
z

(a) Reflection of an s-Polarized Plane Wave

(Vacuum) fyX ! (Metal)

E| \XH;

y

!

(b) Reflection of a p-Polarized Plane Wave

Figure 2. Field directions for the two principal polarizations of a plane wave. (a) Reflection of an s-polarized plane wave,

(b) Reflection of a p-polarized plane wave.
where 1^ represents the intensity of the incident light. Analogous

expressions pertain to the magnetic field of a p-polarized plane wave.

Equation (2-2) shows that the intensity of the total field is

independent of time and consists of a constant term plus a periodic

function of position. The intensity oscillates between a maximum

value Imax

= I i (l+|R|) and a minimum value of I ^ = I

i (l-|R|) Z with

spatial periodicity Az = 27r/2k z = (l/2)Acos6i, where 6^ is

the angle of incidence.

The magnitude and phase of R are determined by the polarization and

incidence angle of the incoming wave, and by the depth-dependence of the

material parameters beneath the surface. In any particular case both

|r| and <j) are fixed. By definition <j) is the phase shift in the

field upon reflection from the plane z = 0. At some other plane located

at z = -d, eq . (2-2) shows that the effective phase shift is

<j)(d) = <j> + 2kz d . (2-3)

Therefore, as a consequence of the periodicity of the fields, it is also

possible to regard the reflection as having effectively occurred at the

plane z = -d provided only that the phase shift <j) Qis increased by

2k z d.

The reflection and transmission coefficients are usually determined

by matching the field solutions of Maxwell's equations across the vacuummaterial interface. For a passive, linear, isotropic medium whose

constitutive parameters vary only with depth below the surface, field

continuity across the interface ensures that: reflection occurs without

change of frequency; the propagation directions of the reflected and
refracted waves do not depend upon the incident wave polarization; and a

linearly polarized plane wave retains its polarization upon reflection.

Field continuity further requires an equality of the angles of incidence

and reflection, and also that the angle of refraction, 6 t (z), of the

transmitted wave at depth z where the refractive index is n(z), satisfies

Snell's law: 2

n(z)sin 6

t (z) = sin Q 1

. (2-4)

If, in addition, the surface transition can be neglected (the hard optical

boundary approximation) then field continuity also leads to the following

Fresnel relations for the reflection coefficient, R, and the Fresnel

transmission coefficient, T, for an s-polarized plane wave [1]:

r _

E

r _ I ~ Jl+(n

2 -D/cos 2 6l

' = i _ t

(2 _ 5)

E i l + Ji+(n2 -i)/cos2

e 1

'

The refractive index of a metal, characterized as a free-electron

jellium of plasma frequency u) p [2], is given by

n

2 = (1 - w2

/oj2

) , where co 2 = Ne2 /me

Q

. (2-6)

2 The validity of the law of reflection at the surface of a graded material

an be argued on the physical grounds that: (1) the optical path is

invariant under interchange of source and receiver (Helmholtz reciprocity

theorem) and (2) the medium is invariant under a 180° rotation about the

surface normal. The validity of Snell's law for describing the continuous

refraction of the optical path within a graded medium follows upon dividing

the medium into inf initesimally-thin, uniform slabs parallel to the surface

and applying Snell's law to each interface. A rigorous theoretical proof

is given in reference [4].
N is the electron density, and m is the mass of an electron. The plasma

frequency of a metal is several times larger than the frequency of visible

light, so it is appropriate to express R as the complex number:

R =

• i 4(a>;/w) 2 - 1

P

> = exp (i(j> ),

1 + i ](a)'/a)) 2 - 1 ° (2-7)

1 P

where Wp = oj p

/cos0^. The incident s-polarized plane wave is totally

reflected (|r| = 1) for w < Wp and the phase shift upon reflection at

the vacuum-metal interface is

cj> = -2 tan"1

,) (w^/o)) 2 -l . (2-8)

In accordance with eq . (2-3) at any other position, located at a distance d

in front of the surface, the phase shift is

<|>(d) = 2k d - 2tan 1

(u)p/co)

2 -l . (2-9)

Consider, as an example, the reflection of a He-Ne laser beam

(A = 6.330xl0-7m, u> - 2ttc/X = 2.97781 x 1015rad/s) by a sodium

surface. If the metal is treated as homogeneous body of electron density

N = 2.5 x 10 28m

3

(u> = 8.9197 3 x 1015rad/s) and having a zero-width

surface transition, then the phase shift upon reflection for normal

incidence is (j> = -140.995°. By comparison, the phase shift upon

reflection from a perfect conductor would be <j) Q = -180° corresponding to

infinite w

p

and zero skin depth. For a good conductor such as aluminum,

1 ft the plasma frequency is w = 6.07889 x 10 rad/sec and <J) = -174.384°.
The Fresnel coefficients are inappropriate for graded materials

because the waves that are able to propagate within an inhomogeneous

medium are not planar. However, an approximate treatment utilizing

Fresnel theory can be given by dividing the inhomogeneous medium into

homogeneous strata which do support plane waves. As a result of this

discretization, a characteristic matrix can be defined for each individual

stratum and then for the whole system [3]. This formulation readily

lends itself to numerical analysis but requires considerable judgement in

defining the strata. Another approach has been to solve Maxwell's

equations for some idealized material profile and then to identify the

reflection coefficient with the ratio of the appropriate "outgoing" to

"incoming" field amplitudes at some exterior position where the fields

resume the character of plane waves.

The remainder of the report examines the reflection of plane waves

from metal surfaces characterized by non-zero transition widths. The

transition is initially modeled as having an exponential depth profile

and then, more accurately, as having a Lang-Kohn profile.

3. THE EXPONENTIAL SURFACE TRANSITION

The Fresnel relations apply strictly to the reflection and transmission

of plane waves at a plane interface between two homogeneous media. At such

an interface the material properties are assumed to change abruptly from their

constant values on either side. On a microscopic level this idealization,

at the very least, violates thermodynamic equilibrium by ignoring such

fundamental processes as interdif fusion, or for a free surface: restructuring

of the surface to accomodate severed chemical bonds, impurity absorption,

and surface oxidation. For many macroscopic observations these processes

may be neglected and the Fresnel relations suffice. However, as instrumentation

9
and techniques improve, the existence of a surface transition becomes

increasingly difficult to ignore. It is, therefore, relevant to examine

the effect of such a transition in the optical properties of the metal.

Consider a metal which occupies the half-space z >_ and is modeled by a

jellium permittivity function (fig. 3) which decreases exponentially

with depth from the surface:

: o , z < 0.

e (z) = { n (3-1)

e Q

[l (ojp/u)) 2 (1 - e 3 Z )], z > 0.

The plasma frequency deep within the interior, Wp, and the characteristic

length of the transition, 1/3, are constants of the medium. At the plane

z=0 the permittivity is equal to the free-space dielectric constant eQ ,

while at great depths within the metal (measured in units of 1/3) the

permittivity is reduced to the usual bulk value e [l-(co /oo) ].

Suppose this medium is illuminated by an s-polarized monochromatic

plane wave, incident at angle 6^ , with its electric vector entirely

in the y direction (fig. 2a). As for a homogeneous medium the incident,

reflected, and transmitted fields may each be expressed as the real part

of a complex vector function containing as factors an exp(-iwt)

temporal dependence and an exp(ikQ sin 9^x) transverse spatial dependence.

For the sake of notational brevity these factors are suppressed and the

fields of the incident plane wave are simply:

E, = E rt e+lkocos 9lz e„ , (3-2)

10
(Vacuum)

(a) Electron Density Profile:

-3M1-.-4 z > 0.

(Vacuum) (Metal)

/Jz

(b) Dielectric Permittivity Profile:

2.

1 -mt--') z > 0.

Figure 3. The exponential surface transition. (a) The electron density

profile. (b) The dielectric permittivity profile.

11
-I

->- e o +ik cos 0i z a <\ H

i = J^ E

o

e [ _cos 6le x + sin 6le

z] , (3-3)

where E Q is a complex scalar constant, and (e x , e y

, e z

) is the triad of

unit vectors along the three coordinate directions. The reflected plane

wave fields are likewise written:

E

r = R E

Q

e-lkocos 9lz £

y

, (3-4)

-»- e o -ikQcos 0iz yv. A

H

r = R J^ E

o e t cos 9le x + sin 9l e zl . (3-5)

In order to emphasize the as yet undetermined z dependence, the fields of

the transmitted wave in the inhomogeneous metal are expressed as:

Et = E

y

(z) ey , (3-6)

Ht = [^(z)^ + Hz (z)e^z

] . (3-7)

When due account is taken of the implicit dependence of the fields on

x and t the two Maxwell equations for a non-permeable medium (u = u Q )

V x E = - uQ £_ , t (3-8)

3t

V x H = e 91 > (3-9)

at

upon substitution of eqs. (3-6) and (3-7) for the transmitted fields and

12
eq . (3-1) for the permittivity function, become

dz " iwuqhx , (3-10)

ik^Ey = iooy Hz , (3-11)

dHx

dz

_ ikx

H z " -iweE

y

, (3-12)

where kx

= k sin6i» Elimination of Hx and Hz from eq . (3-12) by means

of eqs. (3-10) and (3-11) leads to the following differential equation

for the transmitted electric field amplitude:

E

y _l i 2 , 2 fl ,-. ... 2 /( ,2s -Bz 1Tr n (3-13) - + k [cos d-j_ - (1 - to /w )e p ]Ey

= v y =— '^o l^-" ~± ^ -p/~/^ J^-y

dz z

To facilitate solution, z is replaced by a new dimensionless variable v

defined by the transformation

v = 2 ^E ^2. e" 3z/2. (3 ~14)

u 3

The electric field expressed as a function of v now satisfies Bessel's

differential equation,

S + 2_

dh + {1 .

( v/ v) 2 ]Ev = o , ( 3 "15 > dv2 v dv

with

13
= 2(kQ /3) J (u) p

/u))

2 - 1 (3-16)

and a)' = u)p/cos9i« The formal solutions of the transformed

differential equation are linear combinations of J± v (v); for small

arguments J+ (v) behaves as v

_v

. Index v is real according to (3-16)

because the frequency of visible light is always smaller than the reduced

plasma frequency u)p of the metal. For the fields to remain finite

at very large z (small v), only Bessel functions of positive order are

permitted in the solution of eq . (3-15). Therefore

E

y

(v) = C

v Jv (v), (3-17)

where C v is a constant proportional to the amplitude of the incident

wave. The magnetic field component parallel to the surface plane is

evaluated by substituting E

y

(v) into Maxwell's equation and obtaining

h ( V ) = -i£Y_ C J*(v) , ( 3-18 ) * 2u)M Q v v

where J^(v) denotes the derivative of Bessel function Jv (v) with

respect to its argument v. Matching the total (tangential) electric

fields of each half-space across the surface z = (v = vQ = 2 00pko/u)S),

and repeating this for the tangential components of the total magnetic

fields results in two equations in the two unknowns C v and R. Eliminating

C v leads to the following expression for the reflection coefficient at the

jellium surface:

14
R

exp

(0) =

1 - iCcop/co) JC(Vo)/Jv (v ) 1 + i(o)p/o)) JC( vo) /Jv( vo)

(3-19)

The phase shift in the electric field upon its reflection at the surface

z = is given by

4, exp = arg R

exp = _2tan-1

[ (w'/w) J'(v ) /J (v) ] o p v o v o (3-20)

As a verification of the solution consider the result of passing to the

limit, g-M». The exponential profile function (3-1) reduces to the step

profile function of a homogeneous half-space, and in this limit vQ

->-0,

Ju( vo> * vo

V

> and

R

exp 1 - i (u.;/ M )(v/v ) (3 _ 21)

1 + i (u)l/u>)(v/v )

wherein

v/vQ = ^(ojp/oo) 2 - r /(

P (3-22)

As required, the last two expressions combine to yield the usual Fresnel

reflection coefficient, cf. eqs. (2-7) and (2-8), for an s-polarized

plane wave

R

exP(0)

1 ' 1 - i,| (wJ/oj) - 1

m (3-23)

i JoT/oJ)TT- I

The difference between the phase shift for an s-polarized plane

wave reflected from an exponential transition and that from a step

15
transition, both located at z = and both having the same interior

density, is given by

A(j) exp = ^exp _ ^step

= 2 {tan-1

^( W p/W ) 2 - 1 - tan"1

[ (<Dp

/a>) J^(v

q

)/Jv ( v

q

) ]

}

(3-24)

Consider the magnitude of this quantity for a sodium surface illuminated

by a normally incident He-Ne laser beam. Taking 1/3= 0.2 nm as the

characteristic length of the material transition, then by direct computation:

v

Q = 1.189300 x

10" 2

, v = 1.121068 x 10" 2, Jv (v

Q

) = 9.501637 x 10"1

and Jv(vQ

) = 8.900633 x 10" . This leads to a relative phase

shift Acf) exP= 0.226°. Since the time dependence of the fields is

given by exp(-iu)t), the positive value of Ac}> exP represents a relative

delay. The phase delay caused by the exponential transition is consequently

larger than that caused by a step transition of equal magnitude at z =

because, for the same interior density, the incident wave must penetrate

the exponential transition to a greater depth before encountering a

permittivity small enough to cause total reflection.

A more fundamental explanation of the relative phase delay rests

with the jellium model. The optical reflection process is completely

governed by the collective oscillations of the jellium electrons about

the lattice sites of the fixed positive ions. The lattice of positive

ions not only defines the mechanical shape of the solid but also provides

charge neutrality at each location within the jellium. Local charge

neutrality further implies that the electrons and the ions have identical

spatial distributions. Both distributions are bounded by the same plane

16
which in this model, as in the Fresnel model, unambiguously locates the

metal surface at z = 0. The lower density of electrons available for

optical scattering in the exponential surface transition, as compared to

a step transition of equal magnitude, results in a larger penetration

path and phase shift for the totally reflected incident wave.

Although the effects of oxide and contaminant films, losses and skin

depths are taken into consideration by the optical metrologist in order

to correct the phase shift and account for the penetration of the optical

field into a metal end standard, the surface transition itself is ignored

as soon as the Fresnel reflection formulae are applied. By using the

Fresnel formulae the metrologist implicitly defines the location of

an apparent plane of reflection for the surface. The location of this

apparent plane of reflection for the exponential transition is determined

theoretically by setting the relative phase shift A((> exP calculated

in (3-24) equal to 2k z6 in accordance with eq . (2-3). Thus

A4) exp = ^exp _ ^step = 2k

z

6 exP (3-25)

or, equivalently

,

1 ( / ' wp

J

v( v

o) 1

6 ex P = — ^

tan-l /(uj/ u) 2_ 1 _ tan-l J? -^ J

For the parameters of the preceeding example, the apparent plane of

reflection (i.e. optical surface ) is located at the distance <5 exP =

0.3974 nm below the vacuum-metal interface. Because of local charge

neutrality, 6 exP has the added significance of being equal to the

(3-26)

17
displacement of the optical surface from the mechanical surface.

The formulation presented next provides a method for calculating the

reflection coefficient and phase shift without having to solve Maxwell's

equations. It will prove particularly convenient for treating the LangKohn model of a metal surface.

4. SUMMARY OF THE REFLECTION COEFFICIENT FORMULATION AND THE WAVE

ADMITTANCE FORMULATION

In a companion paper [4] a differential formulation was described

for the s-polarized plane wave reflection coefficient R(0) at the surface

to an arbitrary vacuum-material transition. For present purposes the

medium is a jellium metal having a specified, depth-dependent plasma

frequency

--<«) Sn(z) (4_l)

1

where N(z) is the electron density profile. The reflection coefficient

is determined by evaluating at the metal surface the solution R(z) of the

differential equation:

dR + i2<(z)R - r (z)[l - R

2

] = ( 4_2 > dz s

This differential equation is non-linear, first order and has the form of

a standard Ricatti equation. Solution R(z) is subject to the one boundary

condition, viz.,

R(z s

) = +1 (4-3)

18
The depth z

g , at which eq . (4-3) indicates total reflection occurs, is

determined from:

Wp(z s

) = o)cos6i . (4-4)

The coefficients of differential equation (4-2) are given by:

(z) =l/co2 cos2 6 - oo 2 (z) , (4-5)

r. -L P

< . c

and

T(z) = -I [o) 2cos 2

e n - oj 2 (z)] _1 d_ (a, 2) (4-6)

4 1 P dz P

where c = l//u e is the vacuum speed of light. In solving eq. (4-2)

cognizance must be taken of the singularity in T(z) at z

Q

.

A less troublesome formulation makes use of the wave admittance Y(z)

which at any depth z is related to R(z) via the bilinear transformation

Y(«) - <(z)/ Wo

Y(z) + <(z)/oju

The differential equation for Y(z) is obtained by substituting transformation

(4-7) into eq . (4-2). As a result, Y(z) is found to satisfy the equation

dY + i0JM y

2 - icoe [cos9 n - oj 2 (z)/oj2

] = ( 4-8 > dz ° o

L 1 p

Unlike eq . (4-2) the coefficients of this Ricatti-type equation are

19
nowhere singular. Applying transformation (4-7) to eq . (4-3) the boundary

condition on Y(z), corresponding to total reflection at depth z

g

, is

obtained:

Y(z s

) = . (4-9)

Either the R(z) formulation or the Y(z) formulation may be utilized

to compute the reflection coefficient from the electron density distribution, without ever having to solve Maxwell's equations for the electromagnetic fields. This is especially advantageous when the electron

density is numerically specified.

5. THE LANG-KOHN SURFACE TRANSITION

The Lang-Kohn model [5] is a semi-classical, theoretical description

of an alkali metal surface. Although the applicability of this model to

other metal surfaces is generally more empirical than theoretical in

nature it is presently the best available model. In the Lang-Kohn model

the metal lattice is characterized by a uniform distribution of positive

ions which is abruptly terminated at the surface z = separating it from

the ambient vacuum (figs, lc and 4). The electron distribution is permitted

to spread into the vacuum beyond the ion surface creating, thereby, a

local charge imbalance and a corresponding restoring potential. The

equilibrium spatial distribution of the electrons is determined by the

simultaneous solution of Schroedinger's equation and Poisson's equation.

Because Schroedinger's equation for the electronic probability amplitude

depends upon the electrostatic potential of the unneutralized charge

density and the latter depends on the former, the electron distribution

is computed by a means of self-consistent iterative numerical technique.

20
0.40

o 0.35 1—

X

CO

'•& 0.30

(Q cco

0.25

CON^^

0)

"E

0.20

o

0.15

O

c

o 0.10

i_ 4^

o

a> LU 0.05

Sodium (rs = 4)

Electron Density

Optical Surface

0.00

-10.00-8.00-6.00

Ion Density

4.00-2.00 0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00

Depth z (Bohr Radii)

Figure 4. The electron and ion densities, and a typical location of the

apparent plane of reflection (optical surface) , for a vacuummetal interface modeled by a Lang-Kohn transition. The electron

density plot is based upon data provided in Table 1 of the

Lang and Kohn paper [5].

21
Since the electron distribution, and consequently the permittivity

of the metal surface, are provided by the Lang-Kohn model only in tabular

numerical form, it is neither practical nor desirable to solve Maxwell's

equations for the electromagnetic field configuration. The complex

reflection coefficient is more expediently evaluated via the admittance

formulation presented earlier. The admittance formulation is sufficiently

general that any layered system can be investigated through its use. For

example, with the appropriate modification of eqs. (4-5) and (4-6) for

k(z) and T(z) [4] the effects of oxide and contaminant films on

optical reference surfaces can also be explored.

The electron and ion densities at a vacuum-metal interface are

graphed in figure 4 from data provided in the original paper by Lang and

Kohn [5]. The electron density profile presented in this figure corresponds

to the metal sodium which has a Wigner-Seitz radius [6] r

g = 4.006.

Notice that the density profiles are expressed ±n atomic units, i.e.,

all lengths (including r s

) are scaled in units of the Bohr radius

aQ = 0.0529572 nm. Due to the extension of the electron distribution

beyond the ion surface the apparent plane of reflection (optical surface)

of the metal is displaced toward the vacuum by a distance | 6

| . The

value of |6|= 3aQ shown in figure 4 is typical of incidence at 45° by a beam of

visible light.

The computational results of applying the admittance formulation to

the Lang-Kohn model are shown in figure 5. As earlier, A<f> represents

the phase shift caused by the presence of the transition. In this case

A<|) is calculated as the difference between the phase shift determined

for the Lang-Kohn model and the phase shift determined for a step transition

(i.e., hard boundary) corresponding the same interior electron density.

22
CO

CD8>U)

CD Q

-e-

(/)CD

CO

TO

Lz= w

0.00- /2-7T \

^^5J3 x 10- 3 nm 2 (~\~ cos ey

-0.10 - ^^^1.84 x 10" 1 nm

-0.20 - N\^j£-97 x 10~ 1 nm

-0.30 -

-0.40

-0.50 _

\\\\\ X (nm)

\\l1.6 nm

\\\V*650 \Vv600 VVS 550

-0.60 - \^500

M50

-0.70 I I i i i i i i i 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Incidence Angle ^ (Degrees)

80 90

Figure 5. Relative phase shift, Acf> , defined by eq. (5-1), and displacement

of the optical surface, 5, as functions of the incidence angle,

01, and wavelength, A, for the Lang-Kohn transition of Figure 4.

23
In both cases the ion surfaces are located at the plane z = 0. It follows

that

A+ = U

L K " <J) dStep

m (5-1)

T —V

where <)>, is the phase of R(z) evaluated at some distance d fixed at 5

or more Bohr radii in front of the ion surface (i.e., d > 5aQ

). At this

distance the electron density differs negligibly from zero. Phase shift

<j)j Step, defined by eq . (2-3), is also evaluated at this same location.

The displacement of the optical surface from z = is calculated

2tt using an expression similar to eq . (3-25) with k z = "^~ cos6^, viz.,

6 = A<}>/ rVi^coseYJ . (5-2)

The relative phase shift A<{> and the displacement 6 as functions of the

incidence angle 6^ are shown in figure 5 for a number of wavelengths

spanning the visible spectrum. Both A<j> and 6 are negative because the

apparent plane of reflection for the Lang-Kohn transition is advanced

toward the light source (at negative z) by the extended electron profile.

This contrasts with the results obtained for the exponential transition

(which contains fewer surface electrons than the step transition).

Notice in figure 5 that although | A<j> | decreases with increasing

wavelengths of the incident light, displacement |6| actually increases.

In accordance with eq . (5-2), 6 is proportional to XA<j> so the dependence

of A<J> must be weaker than 1/X. This is physically interpreted to

mean that at lower frequencies (larger wavelengths) the surface electrons

24
are more effective at shielding the interior of the metal, thereby causing

|<5 | to appear larger. "At the same time the relative phase shift |A<f>

|

is smaller because |6 | represents a smaller fraction of the incident

wavelength.

Finally observe that |6 | increases with increasing angle of

incidence. At normal incidence \8 | is very much smaller than the

width of the Lang-Kohn transition. However, as grazing incidence is

approached the displacement |6| of the optical surface becomes

increasingly pronounced. For example, for 6j_ = 88° and X = 650 nm,

displacement |fi| = 11.6 nm is more than twenty times the Lang-Kohn

transition width. The physical explanation is that for the same

penetration depth a grazing beam of light travels a larger distance

within the transition causing the effect of the transition to become

exaggerated.

6. CONCLUSIONS

The reflection of light from an optically-soft metal surface was

investigated for a metal which behaves as a free-electron jellium and

for which the surface transition can be described by either of two models.

The first, the exponential transition, is an empirical model for which

analytical results were obtained by solving Maxwell's equations for the

electromagnetic fields. The second model, due to Lang and Kohn, is a

semi-classical theoretical description for which the electron density

within the surface transition is provided in tabular numerical form.

Results in this case were obtained by means of the wave admittance

formulation. For each model, the apparent plane of reflection (i.e., the

optical surface of the metal) was located by comparing the phase shift

upon reflection with that determined by classical Fresnel theory for an

25
equivalent step transition. Contrasting results were obtained for the two

models. For an alkali metal the results based upon the Lang-Kohn model

are more credible than those given by the exponential transition model.

For other metals, not having an s-band valence structure, the exponential

model may be superior. In either case, for s-polarized light reflected

from a sodium surface, the computed phase shifts and optical displacements

are within present observational limits. Under appropriate conditions a

significant source of metrological error could result from ignoring the

surface transition.

7ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The numerical results shown in figure 5 were computed by Jay Marchiando

with the assistance of David Gilsinn.

8. REFERENCES

[1] Stratton, J. A. Electromagnetic theory. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.;

1941. 490-511.

[2] Kittel, C. Introduction to solid state physics. New York: John Wiley

and Sons; 1966. 227-229, 244.

[3] Born, M.; Wolf, E. Principles of optics. New York: Pergamon Press;

1980. 51-70.

[4] Lieberman, A. G. An electromagnetic formulation for treating optical

reflections from graded-material surfaces. Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.)

Tech. Note 1171; 1982. 36p.

[5] Lang, N. D.; Kohn, W. Theory of metal surfaces: charge density and surface

energy. Phys . Rev. Bl_: 4555-4568; 1970.

[6] Op. Cit. [2] . 12.

26
NBS-114A (REV. 2-8C) U.S. DEPT. OF COMM.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET (See instructions)

1. PUBLICATION OR

REPORT NO.

NBS TN 1198

2. Performing Organ. Report No 3. Publication Date July 19 84

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Metrological Consequences of the Hard Optical Boundary Assumption

5. AUTHOR(S)

A. George Lieberman

6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION (If joint or other than NBS, see instructions)

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

7. Contract/Grant No.

8. Type of Report & Period Covered

Final

9. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS (Street. City. State, ZIP)

Same as item 6.

10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

[] Document describes a computer program; SF-185, FlPS Software Summary, is attached.

11. ABSTRACT (A 200-word or less factual summary of most significant information. If document includes a significant

bibliography or literature survey, mention it here)

The reflection of s-polarized light propagating in vacuum by a metal surface is

examined for two descriptions of the vacuum-metal interface: the exponential

surface transition and the Lang-Kohn transition. Both models treat the metal as

a lossless, non-magnetic jellium material, but differ in the spatial distributions

of their constituent charges. The displacement of the optical surface relative

to the mechanical surface caused by the transition is evaluated for each model.

Computerized results are presented for the optical displacement and phase change

upon reflection from a sodium surface for the theoretically superior Lang-Kohn

model. The measurement errors which result from ignoring the vacuum-metal

transition become more significant as the angle of incidence is increased.

12. KEY WORDS (Six to twelve entries; alphabetical order; capitalize only proper names; and separate key words by semicolons)

exponential transition; hard boundary assumption; jellium model; Lang-Kohn

transition; metal surface; optical boundary; optical displacement error; optical

metrology; reflection coefficient; Ricatti equation; surface transition; wave immittan|ce

13. AVAILABILITY

| yl Unlimited

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fX] Order From Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.

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PRINTED PAGES

30

15. Price

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