Planar integrated optical methods for examining thin films and their surface adlayers

Thin film integrated optical waveguides (IOWs) have gained acceptance as a method for characterizing ultrathin dielectrical films and adlayers bound to the film surface. Here, we present the expressions that govern IOW methods as well as describe the common experimental configurations used in attenuated total reflection, fluorescence and Raman applications. The applications of these techniques to the study of adsorbed or surface-bound proteins to polymer and glass waveguides are reviewed.