Optical materials are prized for their properties such as reflection, refraction, absorption, emission, scattering, and diffraction of light in wavelengths ranging from 100 nm to 10 mm. Because small surface or atomic structure defects can have significant affects on those properties, characterization techniques that are sensitive to structures at those scales are presented for the relative effectiveness and particular applications. Readers will find:

• A review of surface roughness as it relates to desired optical properties
• Characterization of optical materials used for III-V semiconductor systems, group IV materials, and amorphous and microcrystalline semiconductors
• Coverage of on the stability and modification of film and surface optical properties, including optical coatings, optical films, and laser-induced damage to optical materials
• Concise summaries of major characterization technologies for integrated circuit packaging materials, including acoustic microscopy, atomic absorption spectrometry, Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy, and many more