The surface-plasmon resonance (SPR) effect in metals is highly sensitive to fluctuations in the optical properties of the interface and has been frequently employed in the Kretschmann configuration for optical sensing. The operating conditions required for using the SPR effect for probing nonabsorbing media under maximum sensitivity are derived analytically under the Lorentzian approximation. It is found that the film thickness that maximizes sensitivity occurs when the radiation damping of the oscillation is half the intrinsic damping. Numerical results are presented for the spectral dependence of the optimum thickness as well as of the SPR parameters of gold, copper, silver, and aluminum films, useful for the design of optical sensors for both gaseous and aqueous environments.

Earlier attempts to characterize rough surfaces by means of surface-plasmon spectroscopy have been unsuccessful [H. Raether, Surf. Sci. 125, 624 (1983)]. In the present paper we show that certain assumptions in the theoretical model were inappropriate. Correcting these assumptions we are able to obtain excellent agreement between predicted and experimental intensities of both specular and diffuse scattering from a rough surface.

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The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect on noble-metal surfaces has been explored by several investigators for the development of chemical and biological sensors as well as for the design of optical devices for other applications. The effect can be observed by use of prism couplers, diffraction gratings, and specially configured optical fibers. In an attempt to seek a new configuration that minimizes costs of fabricating media that support SPR in conjunction with designing a new format suitable for large-scale chemical and biological sensing, I have investigated the feasibility of using a commercially available, gold-type, recordable compact disk for observation of the SPR phenomenon. Experimental and theoretical results of this investigation are reported.

Optics InfoBase is the Optical Society's online library for flagship journals, partnered and copublished journals, and recent proceedings from OSA conferences.