Abstract: A field-enhancing device includes at least one metal layer or a metal grating consisting of metal stripes or a dielectric grating. Usually the device is constructed on some substrate. The adhesive layer is advantageous when the next layer is metallic but is not needed with dielectric layers. The next layers to be constructed form a mirror structure that can also be omitted for simple field-enhancing device constructs. The mirror structure can be either a metal mirror structure or a distributed Bragg reflector structure (DBR). The next layer is the thin metal layer. This layer can be covered with a 1-D metal grating consisting of metal stripes or with a dielectric grating having similar geometry. The structure can also be fabricated without metals when dielectric grating is used as the field-enhancing part. Finally, a protective layer can be added on top of the structure.

Abstract: A plasmonic device to enhance optical processes in samples lying on or in the proximity of the surface of the device comprises a substrate and a plasmonic structure. The plasmonic structure comprises advantageously a full metal layer and a metal grating in connection with the full metal layer. In addition the plasmonic device may comprise an optional adhesion layer between the substrate and the plasmonic structure and/or, an optional protective layer above the full metal layer or metal grating.