title: Improved resolution in SPR and MCWG microscopy by combining images acquired with distinct mode propagation directions.
abstract: In high-resolution surface plasmon (SPR) imaging, lateral resolution is limited along the direction of plasmon propagation by the longitudinal decay length. Though SPR systems can achieve sub-micrometer resolution, the decay length causes a degradation in the images in the direction of plasmon propagation akin to a blurring artifact, with ringing along resonant to nonresonant transition edges. We present a method to significantly reduce this effect based on combining images of a sample acquired with distinct guided-mode propagation directions. As SPR is a special case of the class of optical structures known as metal-clad waveguides (MCWG) that are also affected by the decay length, this work is broadly applicable.
authors.forename: Frederic A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Banville
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Söllradl
authors.forename: Pierre-Jean
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Zermatten
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grandbois
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Charette
mesh_terms: D017097:Electric Impedance; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008670:Metals; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals