Terahertz magneto-optic generalized ellipsometry using synchrotron and blackbody radiation

Abstract

We report on the first setup and experimental verification of terahertz frequency domain magneto-optic generalized ellipsometry using a combination of highly brilliant terahertz synchrotron and conventional blackbody radiation sources. The polarizer-sample-rotating-analyzer ellipsometry principle is employed to measure the three normalized Stokes vector elements excluding depolarization information, and the upper left 3×3 block of the normalized 4×4 Mueller matrix accordingly for wave numbers from 30to650cm−1 (0.9–20THz). We discuss setup, measurement, and data analysis procedures specific to the use of synchrotron radiation for terahertz ellipsometry. Two sample systems with different free-charge-carrier properties were studied and are presented here to illustrate terahertz ellipsometry and data analysis. The first example is low-chlorine-doped ZnMnSe, a dilute magnetic semiconductor. Analysis of the normalized Mueller matrix elements using the Drude magneto-optic dielectric function tensor model over the entire spectral range from 30to650cm−1 allowed the independent determination of the free-charge-carrier properties effective mass, concentration, and mobility. We further present and discuss Mueller matrix spectra obtained from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite at low temperatures. The spectra of this second example, a two-dimensionally confined charge carrier system, reveal distinct fingerprints of chiral electronic transitions between Landau levels.