Enhancing the resolution of scanning near-field optical microscopy by a metal tip grown on an aperture probe
- 23 December 2002
- journal article
- Published by AIP Publishing in Applied Physics Letters
- Vol. 81 (26) , 5030-5032
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1530736
Abstract
We show improvement of the optical and topographical resolution of scanning near-field optical microscopy by introducing a “tip-on-aperture” probe, a metallic tip formed on the aperture of a conventional fiber probe. The tip concentrates the light passing through the aperture. Thus the advantages of aperture and apertureless scanning near-field optical microscopy are combined. Tips are grown by electron beam deposition and then covered with metal. Fluorescent beads are imaged with a resolution down to 25 nm (full width at half maximum) in the optical signal. The near-field appears strongly localized within 5 nm in z direction, thus promising even higher resolution with sharper tips.Keywords
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