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Updated: Feb 19, 2026

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Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters
Published on: July 8, 2013
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Resonant terahertz probes for near-field scattering microscopy
Optics Express
|November 3, 2017
Summary
We developed an indium scattering probe that enhances terahertz (THz) near-field microscopy through dipolar resonance. This novel probe shows improved scattering efficiency and field confinement for advanced THz imaging applications.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Terahertz (THz) near-field microscopy requires efficient scattering probes for high-resolution imaging.
- Existing probes often lack sufficient scattering efficiency and resonant enhancement in the THz range.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and characterize a novel scattering probe for THz near-field microscopy.
- To enhance scattering efficiency using dipolar resonance in an indium probe.
- To demonstrate practical excitation schemes for THz microscopy applications.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of an indium scattering probe.
- Experimental evaluation using THz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS).
- Numerical simulations using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method.
Main Results:
- Indium probes exhibit enhanced scattering due to dipolar resonance across the THz frequency range.
- Observed resonant enhancement with a peak at 0.3 THz and a fractional bandwidth of 0.65 at 1.24 THz.
- Demonstrated a radial polarization excitation scheme for efficient tip mode excitation and strong field confinement at the apex.
Conclusions:
- The developed indium probe significantly enhances scattering efficiency for THz near-field microscopy.
- Dipolar resonance in indium enables broadband THz scattering enhancement.
- The probe and excitation scheme are suitable for practical THz near-field microscopy applications.

