title: Grating-coupled Otto configuration for hybridized surface phonon polariton excitation for local refractive index sensitivity enhancement.
abstract: We demonstrate numerically through rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) that replacing the prism in the Otto configuration with gratings enables us to excite and control different modes and field patterns of surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs) through the incident wavelength and height of the Otto spacing layer. This modified Otto configuration provides us the following multiple modes, namely, SPhP mode, Fabry-Pérot (FP) cavity resonance, dielectric waveguide grating resonance (DWGR) and hybridized between different combinations of the above mentioned modes. We show that this modified grating-coupled Otto configuration has a highly confined field pattern within the structure, making it more sensitive to local refractive index changes on the SiC surface. The hybridized surface phonon polariton modes also provide a stronger field enhancement compared to conventional pure mode excitation.
authors.forename: Suejit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pechprasarn
authors.forename: Supannee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Learkthanakhachon
authors.forename: Gaige
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Dang Yuan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Somekh