Open AccessComparison between sensitivities of phase and intensity detection in surface plasmon resonance
Author(s) -
Бурятский государственный университет Байкальский институт природопользования Со Ран,
S. G. Lipson
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.14.005641
Subject(s) - optics , surface plasmon resonance , sensitivity (control systems) , resonance (particle physics) , intensity (physics) , phase (matter) , surface plasmon , light intensity , range (aeronautics) , photon , materials science , plasmon , physics , atomic physics , quantum mechanics , electronic engineering , nanoparticle , engineering , composite material , nanotechnology
We have experimentally and theoretically compared intensity and phase measurements of surface plasmon resonance, in order to check the widely claimed superiority of the phase method. Both experiment and theory show a slightly higher sensitivity for intensity detection. Simulations confirm that this result is generally true for a wide range of resonance conditions. The basic reason is that phase measurements must be performed by measuring light intensities in some way, and therefore both modes of operation are limited in similar ways by photon statistics. Sensitivity can only be improved by using larger light intensities.