Knowledge Bank

Visible laser beam waveguide propagation in 30-50 $\mu m$ think frozen matrices has been investigated. Propagation lengths of $\sim 1$ cm have been observed on metallic mirror and bare sapphire substrates. These matrix devices are not classical planer waveguides, yet provide sufficient reflective containment of radiation to promise signal to noise increases of $\sim 100$ in adsorption and scattering (Raman or luminescence) experiments. A luminescence enhancement factor of 34 is observed in the waveguide mode, as compared with normal front surface illumination, in neon matrices. Structure enabling efficient laser injection into matrices are described.