Analysis of high-resolution electro-optical beam steering by long-range surface plasmon resonance using a ZnSe prism

A proposal on high-resolution electro-optical beam steering is conceptualized analytically using a long-range surface plasmon resonance configuration comprising a liquid crystal layer of E44 for 1550 nm wavelength. With the tuning of the refractive index of E44 through variations of applied voltage from 0 to 10 V, an optical beam steering can be attained considering the composite effect of spatial and angular Goos - Hanchen and Imbert Fedorov shifts. As compared with the existing beam shift processes in mu rad by mechanical means, here, the computed angular resolution is 3.40 nrad. The proposed idea finds a new avenue in the field of pulse generation, optical sensor applications, and atomic force microscopy, mitigating existing drawbacks. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America