Sum frequency generation spectroscopy of thin organic films on silver using visible surface plasmon generation

We present vibrational spectra of thin films of copper phthalocyanine and hexamethylenetetramine on silver obtained by a visible–infrared sum frequency generation (SFG). Excitation of a surface plasmon on the silver layer was used to enhance the efficiency of the SFG process. The free electron laser FELIX was used as a source of a broadband infrared and a pulsed Nd:YLF laser as a source of a visible radiation.