A scattering model for surface-textured thin films

We present a mathematical model that relates the surface morphology of randomly surface-textured thin films with the intensity distribution of scattered light. The model is based on the first order Born approximation [see e. g., M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of Optics, 7th ed. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1999)] and on Fraunhofer scattering. Scattering data of four transparent conductive oxide films with different surface textures were used to validate the model and good agreement between the experimental and calculated intensity distribution was obtained. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3254239]