What is MULTILAYER? - MM Research, Inc.

Simulation Software for Multilayer Optical Stacks

What is MULTILAYER?

MULTILAYER is a Fortran-based program for calculating reflection from, transmission through, and absorption by a multilayer stack when subjected to an electromagnetic plane wave. The stack may consist of any number of dielectric, metal, birefringent, and magneto-optically active layers. The incident beam is plane and monochromatic, arriving at an arbitrary angle at the surface of the multilayer stack.

Details of analytical and numerical techniques used in this program as well as several application examples may be found in the references cited below. Reference [2], in particular, forms the theoretical foundation of the program.

1. M. Mansuripur, The Physical Principles of Magneto-optical Recording, Cambridge University Press, London, 1995.

2. M. Mansuripur, "Analysis of multilayer thin film structures containing- magneto-optic and anisotropic media at oblique incidence using 2 ´ 2- matrices", Journal of Applied Physics 67, pp 6466-6475 (1990).

3. M. Mansuripur, "Computer Modeling of Optical Storage Media and Systems", Proceedings of SPIE, Vol.1316, 70-80 (1990).

4. M. Mansuripur, "Fabry-Perot Etalons in Polarized Light," Optics & Photonics News, 39-44, March 1997.

5. M. Mansuripur and Lifeng Li, "What in the World are Surface Plasmons?" Optics & Photonics News, 50-55, May 1997.

6. M. Mansuripur, "Reciprocity in Classical Linear Optics," Optics & Photonics News, to appear in July 1998.