title: Polarimetric characterization of bismuth thin films deposited by laser ablation.
abstract: A Mueller-Stokes analysis is applied to pure bismuth thin film samples prepared by the laser ablation technique by using a polarimeter with a 632.8 nm continuum wavelength laser. The complex refractive index is determined in the range of 250-1100 nm. Results from the Mueller matrix show the high sensitivity of diattenuation and polarizance parameters as a function of the sample thickness and the incidence angle, except at the pseudo-Brewster angle, where they exhibit the same value. Results show that the knowledge of the polarimetric response, with appropriate incident polarization states, could be used to design photonic Bi-based devices for several applications. Polarization dependence is the result of changes on the surface morphology as a result of the small value of the skin depth.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, León, Guanajuato, Mexico. reluna@cio.mx
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Luna
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Camps
authors.forename: Dagoberto
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cardona
authors.forename: Elder
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De la Rosa