Sensitivity enhancement of guided-wave surface-plasmon resonance sensors

It is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that, by using the guided-wave surface-plasmon sensor configuration with a top layer of dielectric thin film (10-15 nm) having a high value of the real part of the dielectric function, it is possible to improve the sensitivity of the sensor up to 1 order of magnitude. The stability is improved because the thin nanolayer acts as a protection layer for the metal. The enhancement is clue to the increase in the interaction volume and the evanescent field enhancement near the top layer-analyte interface. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America