Analysis of accuracy in prism coupling methods and a proposal of two simple ways for coupling to guided waves and/or for exciting surface plasmon resonance

The stationarity of the coupling spot in relation with different shapes of couplers is discussed. The accuracy in measuring the effective index by various couplers is analyzed. Two simple methods are proposed to couple light into guided waves and/or to excite surface plasmon resonance (SPR). One uses an optical block as a coupler and the incident beam falls onto it in two perpendicular directions. This method is particularly useful for exciting SPR at an interface between metal and anisotropic dielectric media, but also can be used to couple light into guided waves. Another method does not need any coupler. The incident beam is directly launched into the sample from the substrate side. When a thin metal film is deposited on the substrate and covered either by air or another dielectric layer, SPR can be excited at the interface of metal/air or metal/dielectric. This method can be viewed as an alternative of Kretschmann configuration.