Experimental analysis of waveguide-coupled surface-plasmon-polariton cone properties

• Published in: Analytica chimica acta 2019-02, Vol.1048, p.123-131
• Main Authors: Nyamekye, Charles K.A., Zhu, Qiaochu, Mahmood, Russell, Weibel, Stephen C., Hillier, Andrew C., Smith, Emily A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angle of reflection; Angles (geometry); Cones; Configurations; Dielectric properties; Dielectric waveguide materials; Dielectric waveguides; Directional Rayleigh scattering; Electric fields; Illumination; Incident light; Kretschmann geometry; Light; MATERIALS SCIENCE; Multimodal signal collection; Organic chemistry; Plasmon waveguide resonance; Polaritons; Polarization; Pressurized water reactors; Raman spectra; Refractivity; Reverse Kretschmann illumination; Signal reflection
• ISSN: 0003-2670; 1873-4324
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2018.09.057

Experimental data for waveguide-coupled surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) cones generated from dielectric waveguides is presented. The results demonstrate a simpler route to collect plasmon waveguide resonance (i.e., PWR) data. In the reverse-Kretschmann configuration (illumination from the sample side) and Kretschmann configuration (illumination from the prism side), all the waveguide modes are excited simultaneously with p- or s-polarized incident light, which permits rapid acquisition of PWR data without the need to scan the incident angle or wavelength, in the former configuration. The concentric SPP cone properties depend on the thickness and index of refraction of the waveguide. The angular intensity pattern of the cone is well-matched to simulation results in the reverse-Kretschmann configuration, and is found to be dependent on the polarization of the incident light and the polarization of the waveguide mode. In the Kretschmann geometry, all waveguide-coupled SPP cones are measured at incident angles that produce attenuated light reflectivity. In addition, the enhanced electric field produced under total internal reflection allows high signal-to-noise ratio multimodal spectroscopies (e.g., Raman scattering, luminescence) to measure the chemical content of the waveguide film, which traditionally is not measured with PWR. [Display omitted] •Waveguide-coupled surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) cones in Kretschmann and reverse-Kretschmann configurations.•All waveguide modes excited simultaneously with p- or s-polarized light and generate a unique waveguide-coupled SPP cone.•Waveguide-coupled SPP cone angle and angular intensity depend on refractive index and thickness of dielectric waveguide.•Collect plasmon waveguide resonance (PWR) without scanning incident angle or wavelength in reverse-Kretschmann configuration.•Multimodal PWR data providing chemical information about the adsorbates is measured in the Kretschmann configuration.