A THEORETICAL-ANALYSIS OF THE COUPLING OF LIGHT TO SURFACE-PLASMON OSCILLATIONS AT THE EDGE OF A SLAB WAVE-GUIDE

A theoretical method that accounts for diffraction and backcoupling of surface plasmon (SP) oscillations excited at the metallized edge of a planar waveguide is described in this paper, The model explains previ ously reported experimental studies related to the development of SP-b ased optical-fiber sensors, The method is based on a Fourier transform approach and predicts the appearance of a spatial SP resonance within the light diffracted from the waveguide edge, The approach also allow s one to obtain the spectral dependence of light guided back from the remote waveguide edge and can be used to determine design parameters f or optimum sensor operation.