Radiation Coupling and Image Formation in Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscopy

The propagation of light through an aperture scanning near-field optical microscope is studied. Rules for optimizing the confinement and throughput of aperture near-field probes are derived. The radiation from the aperture through simple sample structures --- flat substrate and substrate with stripe-like elevations and depression --- into classically allowed and forbidden directions is determined quantitatively. It is shown that small amplitude and phase objects can be distinguished by comparing ``allowed'' and ``forbidden'' light images.

By: D. W. Pohl, L. Novotny (ETH, Zurich, Switz.), B. Hecht and H. Heinzelmann (Univ. of Basel, Switz.)

Published in: Thin Solid Films, volume 273, (no 1-2), pages 161-7 in 1996

Please obtain a copy of this paper from your local library. IBM cannot distribute this paper externally.

Questions about this service can be mailed to reports@us.ibm.com .