An optical metrology device produces beams of light with varying wavelengths in a spectral range for measurement of a sample that is at least partially transparent to the spectral range. The light is obliquely incident on the sample, where a portion of the light is reflected off the top surface and a portion is transmitted through the sample and is reflected off the bottom surface. The incident light and/or reflected light is polarized and a phase modulator, such as a photoelastic modulator or electrooptic modulator, is adjusted based on the wavelengths in each beam of light to produce a same retardation of polarization for each beam of light. The reflected light that is received by a detector does not include light reflected from the bottom surface of the sample. A characteristic of a buried structure below the top surface of the sample is determined using the detected reflected light.