QUANTITATIVE INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY OF THIN SOLID AND LIQUID-FILMS UNDER ATTENUATED TOTAL-REFLECTION CONDITIONS

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy of thin films demands optical arrangements, in which the electric held of the IR radiation interacts as much as p ossible with the film. Powerful tools to solve this problem are method s like illumination with polarised light at oblique incidence, interna l reflection and attenuated total reflection (ATR). These methods have Various advantages which will be explained and illustrated on various examples: thin oxide layers on insulators and metals, excitation of s urface polaritons in oxide films on Si, restricted penetration depth t o avoid an echo from the back of the sample. We have further shown by some unconventional applications of ATR experiments the particular fac ilities to characterise layered systems. In competition with other ana lytical methods characterising thin films and surfaces, IR ATR spectro scopy is a fast, non-destructive, and unpretending method of large rel iability. The discussed examples of applications may confirm this stat ement.