A polarization modulation imaging ellipsometer capable of measuring
ellipsometric parameters of the surface of a sample for each of the
measured points with high precision and at high speed, which has a light
source unit that emits light whose intensity periodically changes at a
predetermined frequency; an incident-light optical unit having a
collimator, a polarizer, and a photoelastic phase modulator which
modulates light emitted from the light source unit an emitted-light
optical unit having an analyzer which analyzes a polarization state of
light that has been reflected from or transmitted through the sample and
a two-dimensional detector which converts light received from the
analyzer to an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal; and a
control/analysis unit which operates the light source unit and the
photoelastic phase modulator at the same frequency, and calculates
ellipsometric parameters of each of the measured points.