Photonic emitter manipulation to sample nanoscale topography

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Nanotechnology
• Surface Science

Background:

• Confocal imaging typically provides limited resolution for nanoscale topography.
• Fluorescence lifetime is sensitive to the local photonic environment of emitters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel method for imaging nanoscale surface topography using photonic emitter manipulation.
• To leverage the distance-dependent interaction between a metallic probe and fluorophores.

Main Methods:

• Raster-scanning a metallic probe over a fluorescently labeled sample.
• Analyzing fluorescence decay at each probe position to determine probe-sample distance.
• Utilizing confocal imaging to record fluorescence lifetime changes.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated imaging of nanoscale topography with 14 nm resolution.
• Showcased the ability to resolve microfabricated steps.
• Confirmed the distance-dependent manipulation of fluorophore photonic environments by a metallic probe.

Conclusions:

• Photonic emitter manipulation offers a viable approach for high-resolution surface topography imaging.
• This technique enhances the capabilities of confocal microscopy for nanoscale surface characterization.
• The method is sensitive to probe-sample proximity, enabling topographic mapping.