Chapter 1 – Introductory Remarks

Publisher Summary This chapter gives a brief introduction to the chapters present in the book Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids II. In the first few chapters, sign and polarization conventions, problems involved in determining the optical constants of a film on a substrate, and changes in fundamental optical properties are discussed. The last few chapters discuss spectroscopic ellipsometry, interference effects of a micro fabricated Au transmission, and the angular-resolved photoemission process. The chapter also discusses the inclusion of a few critiques on the best values of n and k over the widest range and the use of camera-ready tables of n and k. Among the materials offered but not claimed by critiquers are silver chloride, caesium bromide, sodium bromide, Teflon, Plexiglas, mica, liquid nitrogen, and a few others..