Surface assessment of CaF2 deep-ultraviolet and vacuum-ultraviolet optical components by the quasi-Brewster angle technique

The requirements for optical components have drastically increased for the deep-ultraviolet and vacuum-ultraviolet spectral regions. Low optical loss, high laser damage threshold, and long lifetime fluoride optics are required for microlithographic applications. A nondestructive quasi-Brewster angle technique (qBAT) has been developed for evaluating the quality of optical surfaces including both top surface and subsurface information. By using effective medium approximation, the negative quasi-Brewster angle shift at wavelengths longer than 200 nm has been used to model the distribution of subsurface damage, whereas the positive quasi-Brewster angle shift for wavelengths shorter than 200 mn has been explained by subsurface contamination. The top surface roughness depicted by the qBAT is consistent with atomic force microscopy measurements. The depth and the microporous structure of the subsurface damage measured by the qBAT has been confirmed by magnetorheological finishing. The technique has been extended to evaluate both polished and antireflection-coated CaF2 components. (C) 2006 Optical Society of America.