Minimizing quenching of plasmonic sensors caused by adhesion layers.

Adhesion layers necessary for the robustness of plasmonic sensors are commonly used at dimensions where the electric near-field intensity can be strongly quenched. We have found that by minimizing the layer thickness to roughly 0.5 nm and by additionally controlling the geometric design of the layer, quenching can by reduced by a factor of up to 7. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]