Polarization control scheme for surface plasmon and optical guided mode control detection

A technique based on what is known as polarizer–compensator–sample–analyzer (PCSA) scheme in ellipsometry, combined with the Kretschmann configuration to excite plasmon and waveguided modes is described. The system allows the control of the polarization state of the reflected light and is shown to have higher sensitivity than the measurement of only the amplitude of the reflected light. We show the response of the system to variations in temperature and small changes in the refractive index of a liquid.