Application of global optimization algorithms for optical thin film index determination from spectro-photometric analysis

A large number of parameters is often required to describe optical dispersion laws, and it is only through the use of an appropriate global optimization procedure that an accurate thin film index determination can be achieved. In this paper, we propose to investigate the respective performances of three different optimization algorithms, namely Simulated Annealing, Genetic Algorithm and Clustering Global Optimization and compare results with a commercial software dedicated to thin film index determination. This study refers to the single layer and multilayer thin film index determination. It includes the theoretical study of simulated reflection and transmission spectra, and the experimental characterization of Ta2O5 single layer and Ta2O5/SiO2 multilayer.

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