General principles of scanning tunneling optical microscopy

Area of Science:

• Near-field optics
• Nanophotonics
• Wave scattering

Background:

• Homogeneous waves diffract into evanescent waves upon interaction with submicrometer objects.
• Evanescent waves decay rapidly and are typically undetectable.
• Characterizing subwavelength structures is crucial for advancements in nanotechnology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a method for detecting evanescent waves generated by submicrometer objects.
• To enable the characterization of subwavelength structures using scattered light.
• To bridge the gap between near-field phenomena and far-field detection.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a subwavelength-sized scattering probe.
• Converting evanescent waves into homogeneous, propagating waves.
• Detecting the converted propagating waves for analysis.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the principle of converting evanescent waves to propagating waves.
• Showcased the potential for information retrieval from subwavelength objects.
• Established a pathway for experimental validation.

Conclusions:

• A scattering probe can effectively convert evanescent waves into detectable propagating waves.
• This method offers a viable approach for probing and characterizing subwavelength objects.
• The findings have implications for nanoscale imaging and sensing.