Open AccessPhase-sensitive Bloch surface wave sensor based on variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry
Author(s) -
Yanhui Li,
Tianlin Yang,
Zhiyong Pang,
Guiqiang Du,
Shumei Song,
Shiguo Han
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.22.021403
Subject(s) - optics , ellipsometry , materials science , phase (matter) , total internal reflection , reflection (computer programming) , phase angle (astronomy) , sensitivity (control systems) , dielectric , refractive index , fresnel equations , optoelectronics , physics , thin film , engineering , quantum mechanics , electronic engineering , computer science , programming language , nanotechnology
In this paper, we propose a phase-sensitive Bloch surface wave sensor based on the variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry and numerically simulate the phase behavior of the sensor. The simulation results show that the dependence of resonant phase is step-like when BSWs are excited. In contrast to the reflectance behavior, even though losses of the dielectric layers are very small, the resonance dip in the reflectivity will be shallow while the step-like change of the reflection phase of the BSW still be remarkable. This means that phase detection is an alternative to reflectivity intensity detection for the sensing applications of the BSWs in this case. Our experimental results indicate that phase detection for the BSW sensors has the potential to achieve the higher sensitivity and the lower limit of detection.