PHASE-CONTRAST SURFACE-MODE RESONANCE MICROSCOPY

A simple method is described which allows to obtain a phase sensitive image in surface mode resonance microscopy. It exploits the fact that surface mode resonances couple only to one direction of polarization ( s or p) so that the other direction (p or s) can be used as a referenc e wave. Using a Soleil-Babinet compensator and a polarizer, the two wa ves can be phase shifted with respect to each other and superimposed b efore they are imaged onto a camera chip. The method is demonstrated e xperimentally. Possible applications are discussed, especially for the field of nonlinear optics of thin films and surfaces, where phase inf ormation is particularly desirable.