Low-cost,high performance surface plasmon resonance-compatible films characterized by the surface plasmon resonance technique

A new analytical method based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique is presented, with which SPR curves for both wavelength and angular modulations can be obtained simultaneously via only a single scan of the incident angle. Using this method, the SPR responses of TiO2-coated Cu films are characterized in the wavelength range from 600 nm to 900 nm. For the first time, we determine the effective optical constants and the thicknesses of TiO2-coated Cu films using the SPR curves of wavelength modulation. The sensitivities of prism-based SPR refractive index sensors using TiO2-coated Cu films are investigated theoretically for both wavelength and angular modulations, the results show that in the case of sensitivity with wavelength modulation, TiO2-coated Cu films are not as good as the Au film, however, they are more suitable than the Au film for SPR refractive index sensors with angular modulation because a higher sensitivity can be achieved.     

The determination of the thickness and the optical dispersion property of gold film using spectroscopy of a surface plasmon in the frequency domain

We propose to use wavelength modulation approach,i.e.,the spectroscopy of a surface plasmon in the frequency domain,to characterize the optical dispersion property of gold film.Using this method,we determine the dispersion relationship of gold film in a wavelength range from 537.12 nm to 905.52 nm,and our results accord well with the reported results by other authors.This method is particularly suited for studying the optical dispersion properties of thin metal films,because a series of dielectric constants over a wide spectral range can be determined simultaneously via only a single scan of the incident angle,thereby avoiding the repeated measurements required when using the angular modulation approach.     

Determination of thickness and optical dispersion property of gold film using spectroscopy of surface plasmon in frequency domain

We propose to use wavelength modulation approach, i.e., the spectroscopy of surface plasmon in frequency domain to characterize the optical dispersion property of gold film. Using this method, we determine the dispersion relationship of gold film in a wavelength range from 537.12 nm to 905.52 nm, and our results accord well with the reported results by other authors. This method is particularly suited for studying the optical dispersion properties of thin metal films, because a series of dielectric constants over a wide spectral range can be determined simultaneously via only a single scan of the incident angle, thereby avoiding the repeated measurements required when using angular modulation approach.