Calibration of oblique-incidence reflectivity difference for label-free detection of a molecular layer.

Oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OI-RD) is a form of polarization-modulation ellipsometry that measures properties of thin films on a solid surface through the change in polarization state of light upon reflection from the surface. The measurement accuracy depends on the precision of the phase modulation amplitude and azimuthal alignments of key polarizing optical elements and, thus, requires careful calibration. In the present work, we describe robust methods of such calibrations that enable precise determination of the modulation amplitude and static retardation of a phase modulator and azimuths of key polarizing optics in an OI-RD system.