Broadband surface plasmon jets: direct observation of plasmon propagation for application to sensors and optical communications in microscale and nanoscale circuitry
AssigneeThe University of Chicago
InventorsAlexandre Bouhelier, Gary Wiederrecht
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for generating and using broadband surface plasmons in a metal film for characterization of analyte on or near the metal film. The surface plasmons interact with the analyte and generate leakage radiation which has spectral features which can be used to inspect, identify and characterize the analyte. The broadband plasmon excitation enables high-bandwidth photonic applications.
Claims18
A plasmon excitation and sensor system for detecting surface material on a substrate, comprising:
- a source of light for exciting surface plasmons in the surface material;
- an optical coupling element receiving the white-light continuum and then further receiving and outputting leakage radiation emitted by the surface plasmons interacting with the surface material;
- and
- a radiation sensor for receiving and analyzing the leakage radiation to determine characteristics of the surface material.
A method of sensing characteristics of an analyte on or near a plasmonic surface, comprising the steps of:
- applying light selected from the group of a white-light continuum and a set of discrete wavelengths to a substrate with analyte disposed at least one of adsorbed on a metal surface and near a metal surface;
- forming surface plasmons in the substrate;
- sensing leakage radiation emitted by decaying of the surface plasmons;
- and
- analyzing the leakage radiation to characterize the analyte.
A plasmon excitation and sensor system for detecting surface features disposed on a substrate, comprising:
- a source of focused and polarized light;
- at least one of an immersion objective lens and another focusing element in optical contact with the surface feature and for receiving at least one of a white-light continuum and a discrete set of wavelength and coupling the white-light continuum and the discrete set of wavelengths to the surface plasmon in the substrate and the surface features;
- the at least one of immersion objective lens and another focusing element further operating to receive leakage radiation emitted by surface plasmons created in the substrate by the light and outputting the leakage radiation;
- and
- at least one of a CCD camera system and another optical detector for receiving and analyzing the leakage radiation to characterize the surface features.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.