Spectroscopic ellipsometry study on gold (Au) thin film for biosensor application has been done.

This work has successfully constructed rotating analyzer ellipsometer (RAE) with visible light
source (380 nm to 800 nm). Au thin films with different thicknesses (30 nm, 50 nm, 70 nm, and
100 nm) were fabricated by RF Magnetron Sputtering technique and their surface structures were
studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The measurement of ellipsometry was performed at
different incident angles (60, 65, 70 and 75). Optical models, like Cauchy, Drude-Lorentz,
and EMA-Bruggeman, were used to analyze the results of measurement. The results show that
the optical constant of Au thin film is not depending on incidence angle because of isotropic
samples. However, the optical constant is depending on wavelength and thickness of thin film.
Based on dependence of wavelength, the value of 1 is negative at the wavelength higher than
plasma wavelength, whereas 2 decreases at the lower wavelength. Meanwhile, n decreases at
the higher wavelength and k increases at the higher wavelength. Based on dependence of
thickness, all of 1 , 2 , n and k decrease as the thickness increases. This work aims to detect
the presence of microalgae of Glagah isolate mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with the
concentration of 2 % for immobilization. The mixture was coated on Au thin film by spin
coating technique. Sensing was perform at the incident angle of 75 because the difference of
and is highest at this angle. The indicator of microalgae presence can be seen from the change
of and . This biosensor perform the most sensitive work when the thickness of Au thin film
is 70 nm, the incidence angle is 75, and the wavelength is 594 nm which the change of delta is
63,1.

Key words: spectroscopic elliposmetry, gold (Au) thin film, optical constant, biosensor,
microalgae.