AVS 65th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Focus Topic Monday Sessions
       Session EL+AS+EM-MoM

Paper EL+AS+EM-MoM11
Terahertz to Mid-infrared Dielectric Response of Poly-methacrylates for Stereolithographic Single Layer Assembly

Monday, October 22, 2018, 11:40 am, Room 202A

Session: Application of SE for the Characterization of Thin Films and Nanostructures
Presenter: Serang Park, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Authors: D.B. Fullager, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
S. Park, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Y. Li, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
J. Reese, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
E. Sharma, Harris Corporation
S. Lee, Harris Corporation
S. Schӧche, J.A. Woollam Co. Inc
C.M. Herzinger, J.A. Woollam Co. Inc
G.D. Boreman, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
T. Hofmann, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Correspondent: Click to Email
Producing THz optical components with arbitrary shapes using additive manufacturing is receiving considerable interest because it offers a rapid, low-cost avenue for THz imaging system development. In order to design such THz optical components appropriately, accurate knowledge of the complex dielectric function of the materials used for stereolithographic 3D fabrication, is crucial. In this presentation we report on the complex dielectric function of several poly-methacrylates which are frequently used for stereolithographic fabrication. Spectroscopic ellipsometry data sets from the THz to mid-infrared spectral range were obtained from isotropically cross-linked poly-methacrylate samples. The data sets were analyzed using stratified layer optical model calculations using parameterized model dielectric functions. While the infrared spectral range is dominated by several strong absorption features with Gaussian profiles, these materials are found to exhibit only weak absorption in the THz range. In conclusion we find that thin transmissive THz optics can be easily achieved using poly-methacrylate-based stereolithographic fabrication. Possible origins of the observed absorption in the THz spectral range are identified and pathways to reduce it are discussed.