Parabolic mirror-assisted tip-enhanced spectroscopic imaging for non-transparent materials

A versatile and efficient tip‐enhanced spectroscopic imaging technique based on a parabolic mirror (PM) assisted near‐field optical microscope is demonstrated. The replacement of the conventional objective lens with a parabolic mirror allows the non‐restricted investigation of sample materials regarding their opacity. In addition, an improved signal collection efficiency and effective excitation of the longitudinal plasmonic oscillation in the tip apex are obtained. The capabilities of PM‐assisted tip‐enhanced Raman (TER) and photoluminescence (PL) imaging in distinguishing the individual domains made of different chemical components in poly (3‐hexythiophene)/[6, 6]‐penyl‐C61 butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PCBM) solar cell blend film and in the investigation of the plasmonic properties of geometrically well‐defined Au cones are demonstrated. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Parabolic mirror‐assisted tip‐enhanced spectroscopic imaging of non‐transparent samples is reported. Correlated topography as well as Raman and photoluminescence imaging of nanometer‐sized domains composing of different chemical components in blended organic solar cell films are successfully achieved. Furthermore the plasmonic properties of Au nano cones are demonstrated using the tip‐enhanced luminescence imaging technique.