<i>In situ</i>nanoparticle diagnostics by multi-wavelength Rayleigh-Mie scattering ellipsometry

Abstract

We present and discuss the method of multiple-wavelength Rayleigh-Mie scattering ellipsometry for the in situ analysis of nanoparticles. It is applied to the problem of nanoparticles suspended in low-pressure plasmas. We discuss experimental results demonstrating that the size distribution and the complex refractive index can be determined with high accuracy and present a study on the in situ analysis of etching of melamine-formaldehyde nanoparticles suspended in an oxygen plasma. It is also shown that particles with a shell structure (core plus mantle) can be analysed by Rayleigh-Mie scattering ellipsometry. Rayleigh-Mie scattering ellipsometry is also applicable to in situ analysis of nanoparticles under high gas pressures and in liquids.