Guided modes and surface plasmon-polaritons observed with a nematic liquid crystal using attenuated total reflection

Abstract

An aligned layer of nematic liquid crystal with suitable optical anisotropy and under the application of appropriate applied voltages, may support various guided modes of light. Here the attenuated total reflection technique is used to examine such guided modes allowing simultaneous observation of the surface plasmonpolariton (S.P.P.) at a metal/liquid crystal interface. We report observations of the interaction between the bulk guided modes and the S.P.P., an interaction made possible by the strong refractive index anisotropy of the chosen liquid crystal. The influence of applied voltage upon the guided modes, the S.P.P. and their interaction is studied. Detailed reflectivity results are compared with theory for layered uniaxial media.