Apertureless near field optical microscope

Details Apertureless near field optical microscope Apertureless near field optical microscope

1989-04-28

1990-08-07

Willis, Davis L.

Radiant energy

Photocells; circuits and apparatus

Optical or pre-photocell system

350507, H01J 314

Patent

active

049470345

ABSTRACT:
A near field optical microscopy method and apparatus eliminates the necessity of an aperture for scanning a sample surface and greatly reduces the detected background signal. A small dimension tip, on the order of atomic dimension, is disposed in close proximity to the sample surface. A dither motion is applied to the tip at a first frequency in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the sample surface. Dither motion is simultaneously applied to the sample at a second frequency in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the sample surface. The amplitude of the motions are chosen to be comparable to the desired measurement resolution. The end of the tip is illuminated by optical energy. The scattered light from the tip and surface is detected at the difference frequency for imaging the sample surface at sub-wavelength resolution without the use of an aperture. Alternatively, the tip is maintained stationary and the sample undergoes motion in the two directions.

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