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Collection of propagating electromagnetic fields by uncoated probe
Farbod Shafiei1, Michael C Downer1
1Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
Ultramicroscopy
|August 1, 2022
Summary
Uncoated fiber probes minimize electromagnetic field perturbation for nanoscale light-matter interaction studies. This technique achieves ~23 nm optical resolution, revealing fine nearfield details lost with traditional metal-coated probes.
Area of Science:
- Nanophotonics
- Optical microscopy
- Light-matter interactions
Background:
- Near-field microscopy probes the electromagnetic field near light sources.
- Metal-coated probes commonly used in near-field microscopy can distort the optical near-fields.
- Capturing fine details of electromagnetic fields requires minimizing probe-induced perturbations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate light collection by uncoated fiber probes for nanoscale near-field imaging.
- To compare the performance of uncoated probes against traditional metal-coated probes.
- To demonstrate the capability of uncoated probes in resolving fine near-field details.
Main Methods:
- Experimental imaging using uncoated fiber probes with a 50 nm aperture.
- Numerical simulations to model optical near-fields and probe-light interactions.
- Utilizing second-harmonic light from sub-wavelength features to isolate near-field signals.
Main Results:
- Uncoated fiber probes minimize perturbation of electromagnetic fields.
- Clear near-field details were resolved with approximately 23 nm optical resolution.
- Simulations confirmed that metallic coatings distort optical near-fields and reduce optical coupling.
Conclusions:
- Uncoated fiber probes offer a less perturbative approach for near-field optical microscopy.
- This method enables high-resolution imaging of nanoscale electromagnetic fields.
- The findings provide a pathway for more accurate studies of light-matter interactions at the nanoscale.