Surface enhanced infrared absorption by coupling phonon and plasma resonance

A gold and silicon carbide particle matrix is presented that concentrates light to its surface using a combination of phonon and plasmon resonance mechanisms. The enhanced infrared absorption spectrum of absorbed molecules is used to probe the coupled phonon and plasmon surface resonances. Sensitive molecular detection is achieved by measuring the enhanced infrared absorption or the frequency shift in the surface modes of the coated matrix. This work demonstrates that hybrid polariton resonance structures using metallic and polar dielectric materials are feasible for applications in near-field microscopy, nano-optical devices, and trace chemical sensing. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.