Detecting High-Refractive-Index Media Using Surface Plasmon Sensor with One-Dimensional Metal Diffraction Grating

We experimentally detect high-refractive-index media (n > 1.5) using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor with a diffraction grating. While SPR sensors are generally based on the attenuated total reflection method using metal films, here, we focus on a method using a diffraction grating, which can detect relatively higher refractive-index media and is suitable for device miniaturization. In this study, we used the rigorous coupled-wave analysis method to simulate the dependence of the reflectance on an incident angle for media with refractive index values up to 1.700. In the experiment, a medium (n = 1.660 - 1.700) was successfully detected using this grating. Under the conditions of the grating (period: 600 nm, Au thickness: 40 nm) using a red laser (λ: 635 nm), a sharp decline in the reflectance and a rise in the transmittance at certain angles were confirmed, demonstrating the extraordinary transmission enabled by SPR. Because excitation angles changed with changes in the refractive index, we concluded that this method can be applied to sensors that detect high-refractive-index media.