Systematic approach for analyzing reflectance-difference spectra: Application to silicon-dielectric interfaces

We describe a combinatorial approach for analyzing reflectance-difference/reflectance-anisotropy (RD/RA) spectra that avoids the need to establish null orientations experimentally, suppresses experimental artifacts, signal averages, and allows RD/RA spectra to be assessed systematically for secondary contributions at principal angles different from that of the dominant contribution. Application to rapid-thermal-annealed oxidized and nitrided vicinal (111) Si-dielectric interfaces demonstrates the effectiveness of the procedure.