SCATMM: Easy-to-Use Graphical User Interface for Light Propagation in Arbitrary Multilayers

Abstract

Ease-of-access to efficient and simple modelling software is fundamental for a broader adoption of these tools in academic, R&D or even industrial contexts. Here, we describe a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) termed SCATMM that effectively utilizes the well-known Scattering Matrix Method to determine the reflection, transmission, and absorption of arbitrarily thick stacks of planar layers. This capability connects with a wide range of applications, such as determining layer(s) thickness(es) by fitting with experimentally acquired spectra. This article describes the core development of the mathematical model, followed by a description of the main elements of the GUI. The model is validated through comparison with well-established FDTD simulations of a basic solar cell configuration, yielding a precise match between the resulting absorption spectra. For experimental comparison, the SCATMM tool was used to determine the thickness of a planar layer on a glass substrate, offering an additional example of the method’s application. Here, the determined thickness was paired to profilometry and SEM measurements, providing congruent values with less than 8% of discrepancy.

Keywords

• graphical user interface
• electromagnetic modelling
• scattering matrix method
• arbitrary multilayers
• thickness fitting