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Coupling to Surface Waves with Prisms via Attenuated Total Reflection.
Applied Optics
|February 4, 2010
Summary
This study details a prism technique for coupling light to surface waves like surface plasmons. It provides essential equations and design information for using parallelopiped prisms in spectrometers across various wavelengths.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Nonradiative surface waves, including surface plasmons, are crucial for various optical phenomena.
- Efficient optical coupling is necessary for studying these surface waves.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive summary of the prism technique for optical coupling to nonradiative surface waves.
- To present key equations and practical design considerations for utilizing this technique.
Main Methods:
- Summarizes the prism technique for optical coupling.
- Presents approximate and exact equations for dispersion relations, lifetimes, and leakages.
- Discusses the design, fabrication, and application of parallelopiped prisms.
Main Results:
- Provides a clear overview of the prism-based optical coupling method.
- Offers essential theoretical equations for analyzing surface wave properties.
- Details practical aspects of prism implementation in commercial spectrometers.
Conclusions:
- The presented information is sufficient for studying surface plasmons and phonons.
- The technique is applicable across a broad spectral range, from visible to far-infrared wavelengths.
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