High definition aperture probes for near-field optical microscopy fabricated by focused ion beam milling
We have improved the optical characteristics of aluminum-coated fiber probes used in near-field scanning optical microscopy by milling with a focused ion beam. This treatment produces a flat-end face free of aluminum grains, containing a well-defined circularly-symmetric aperture with controllable d...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Applied physics letters 1998-06, Vol.72 (24), p.3115-3117 |
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Hauptverfasser: | , , , |
Format: | Artikel |
Sprache: | eng |
Online-Zugang: | Volltext |
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Zusammenfassung: | We have improved the optical characteristics of aluminum-coated fiber probes used in near-field scanning optical microscopy by milling with a focused ion beam. This treatment produces a flat-end face free of aluminum grains, containing a well-defined circularly-symmetric aperture with controllable diameter down to 20 nm. The polarization behavior of the tips is circularly symmetric with a polarization ratio exceeding 1:100. The improved imaging characteristics are demonstrated by measuring single molecule fluorescence. Count rates increase more than one order of magnitude over unmodified probes, and the molecule images map a spatial electric field distribution of the aperture in agreement with calculations. |
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ISSN: | 0003-6951 1077-3118 |
DOI: | 10.1063/1.121564 |