Open AccessSPR phase detection for measuring the thickness of thin metal films
Author(s) -
Chao Liu,
Qinggang Liu,
Xiaotang Hu
Publication year - 2014
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.22.007574
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , thin film , surface plasmon resonance , polarization (electrochemistry) , surface plasmon , transverse plane , prism , phase (matter) , nanometre , refractive index , interference (communication) , plasmon , optoelectronics , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , physics , channel (broadcasting) , chemistry , structural engineering , quantum mechanics , engineering , electrical engineering
In this paper, a novel method to determine the thickness of thin metal film is put forward which uses Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) phase detection method. The relations between the metal film thickness and the phases of the transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) polarization of the reflected light are shown in the simulation results. By recording the interference patterns which contain the information of the phase differences in the experiments, the values of thickness are calculated. Both of the theoretical analysis and experimental results indicate that the approach presented is feasible and reliable. Thus, it is possible to use the method of phase detection to determine the thickness of thin metal films within 100nm in SPR prism couplers directly with nanometer resolution.