Spectrally resolved surface plasmon resonance dispersion using half-ball optics

Abstract

In this work, a variant of a Kretschmann-type surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor is introduced. k-space imaging is combined with half-ball glass optics to facilitate the measurement of SPRs across the visible spectral range. In contrast to current state-of-the-art techniques, which are widely utilized in commercially available systems, the presented method allows single-shot-acquisition of the full angular reflection without any moving parts, as well as mapping of the surface plasmon dispersion by scanning across the entire visible wavelength range. Measurements on various thin metallic films demonstrate the sensitivity of the system towards minute changes of the metal surface and its close vicinity. The fast and precise measurement of surface plasmon resonances paves the way for improved detection in applications such as immunoassays or gas-sensors, especially for real-time in situ measurements.