Thin Film Thickness Measurement Using Conduction and Infrared Transmission

Many applications in a diverse demographic of engineering fields require knowledge of the thickness of thin films and coatings. An example of some applications for which thin film thickness is critical are semiconductors, optics, and protective coatings. There are various methods for measuring thin film thickness, however, many of them are destructive, or are only capable of measuring thickness on a point-by-point basis. This work presents a full-field method of measuring film thickness by conductive or radiative heat transfer. The heat transfer models describing the response are explained, and potential applications of this technique are shown in experimental testing of a spray paint coating and gold thin films.