Refractive indices of layered semiconductor ferroelectrics TIInS2, TIGaS2, and TIGaSe2 from ellipsometric measurements limited to only layer-plane surfaces

The ternary layered Tl-contained semiconductor ferroelectrics TlInS2, TlGaS2, and TlGaSe2, exhibiting an incommensurate phase and a relaxor state with temperature, were approached down to 0.76 eV at room temperature by spectroscopic phase modulated ellipsometry in a region below the energy gap of each material. By using both coherent and incoherent reflection modes on only the layer-plane surfaces, the refractive indices in the parallel- and perpendicular-to-the-layers directions of the light propagation were determined. Sellmeier single-oscillator form was used to fit the model data to the experimental intensities. The discrepancy between the model and experimental data was shown to be negligible. Besides, a self-consistent picture of the obtained refraction indices was emerging after the discussion based on the available data for the studied materials. The applied experimental approach was thus found to be quite effective for layered materials, and the obtained refractive indices might be used for database with high degree of confidence. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.