Surface single prism technique

The single prism technique has the advantage that ordinary sources with a monochromator can be used. The two prism technique requires an extremely well collimated beam, and only lasers are satisfactory as sources. However, the two prism technique is more sensitive to absorption in the thin film. We shall give some examples of data obtained using each method. It must be admitted that much of the wdrk to date has been of an exploratory nature, designed to demonstrate the utility of spectroscopy using surface waves. 

---