迈克耳孙干涉仪用于SFM/SNOM实验

以迈克耳孙干涉仪作为基本操作平台建立了扫描力显微镜/扫描近场光学显微镜(SFM/SNOM)实验系统.该系统可以用于扫描力显微镜和近场光学显微镜的原理性实验,有助于学生深入了解扫描探针显微镜的基本结构和工作原理.     

照明模式SNOM中样品对近场光场分布的影响

在同时考虑样品的形貌及材料光学参量和入射光偏振模式的情况下,利用基于边界元方法编写的二维矢量电磁场计算程序,对工作在照明模式下的扫描近场光学显微镜（Scanning Near-field Optical Microscope,SNOM）的近场矢量电磁场分布进行了数值计算模拟研究.结果表明,在没有表面形貌特征时,探针的光能量透射率随样品材料的折射率和损耗角的增加而增大,而样品表面光斑尺寸受折射率和损耗角的影响很小；对有形貌特征的探针扫描像研究结果表明,SNOM的分辨率随着样品的折射率和损耗角的增加而提高；对SNOM不同的工作模式的扫描成像信号进行的计算结果表明,恒定间距扫描方式比恒定高度扫描方式对样品表面的细节有较强的分辨能力.     

扫描近场红外显微镜光纤探针的腐蚀制法

红外光探针是扫描近场红外显微镜(SNIM)中的关键部件,由于探针的种类和材料不同,制作的方法也不同.一般制作光纤探针有两种方法,即热拉伸法和化学腐蚀法.这里叙述了一种化学腐蚀方法,介绍了怎么去除砷硒碲中红外光纤的聚酰胺表层和硫化硒夹层,以及芯层腐蚀成针尖状的具体方法和过程,并对短锥针探针制法进行了探索.最后用此探针在近场范围内探测了氮化镓样品的自由电子激光(FEL)反射谱. 关键词： 扫描探针显微镜(SPM) 近场红外扫描显微镜(SNIM) 光纤探针     

近场扫描光电显微镜中一种新的切向力检测系统

在近场扫描光学显微镜（ＮＳＯＭ）＾［１］中,近场距离控制一般要用切向力控制法。检测切向力有两种方法：光学检测法和非光学检测法。目前普遍采用非光学检测法,基本上是采用压电陶瓷管控制探针和样品的距离。本文提出一种新的切向力检测系统,利用双压电片实现近场距离控制。实验结果表明,检测灵敏度大大提高,扫描力显微（ＳＦＭ）像的分辨率可达纳米量级。     

光学显微镜与CCD监视器组合的原子力显微镜

研制了一种与光学显微镜结合并配置 CCD 监视器的原子力显微镜,可同时获得样品的原子力显微镜图象及光学图象.已能分辨出5纳米的精细结构,最大扫描范围可达2μm.文中给出了本仪器获得的一些样品图象结果.     

扫描近场光学显微镜的光耦合偶极子模型

为了研究扫描近场光学显微镜中探针和粗糙样品表面的耦合相互作用，提出了一种光耦合偶极子模型.在该模型中，探针和样品突起都由光极化偶极子表示，在准静态电磁场近似的情况下样品表面的诱导极化效应由影像偶极子表示，应用偶极子辐射理论可以得到系统的自洽场方程.此模型提供了一种直观分析扫描近场光学显微镜中探针和样品相互作用机理的方法.在此基础上，进一步讨论了金属样品的近场成像特点和其特有的局域光学共振现象.数值结果表明：不同于一般的介质样品，金属样品的近场图像与入射光频率直接相关，改变入射光的频率，获得的样品近场图像的形状和对比度都会发生变化.特别是当入射光频率处于样品极化共振范围内时，金属纳米粒子的极化率会出现光极化共振，这样就可以获得样品粒子的最大有效尺寸，为提高系统的分辨率提供了一条重要途径.     

近场扫描光学显微镜中一种新的切向力检测系统

在近场扫描光学显微镜（ＮＳＯＭ）［１］中,近场距离控制一般采用切向力控制法。检测切向力有两种方法：光学检测法和非光学检测法。目前普遍采用非光学检测法,基本上是采用压电陶瓷管控制探针和样品的距离。本文提出一种新的切向力检测系统,利用双压电片实现近场距离控制。实验结果表明,检测灵敏度大大提高,扫描力显微（ＳＦＭ）像的分辨率可达纳米量级。     

一种探针-样品距离的切变力控制新方法

报道了近场扫描光学显微镜(Near-filed Scanning Optics Microscope NSOM)中一种基于切变力的探针 样品间距控制新方法.条形压电蜂鸣器片的上表面电极被沿着中心线分成两半,一半用于驱动,其上施加振荡源谐振频率进行激励,另一半上粘附光纤探针,并利用压电效应作为光纤探针的振幅传感器.当受振动激励的光纤探针由远处逐渐接近样品表面时,由于样品与探针之间的切变力阻尼作用使得探针的振幅减小,通过检测探针振幅的变化可以控制探针与样品的间距.我们建立了一套探针 样品间距探测控制系统并利用该系统获得了CD盘片表面8μm×8μm范围内的切变力形貌图.     

一种探针-样品距离的切变力控制新方法

报道了近场扫描光学显微镜(Near-filed Scanning Optics Microscope-NSOM)中一种基于切变力的探针-样品间距控制新方法.条形压电蜂鸣器片的上表面电极被沿着中心线分成两半,一半用于驱动,其上施加振荡源谐振频率进行激励,另一半上粘附光纤探针,并利用压电效应作为光纤探针的振幅传感器.当受振动激励的光纤探针由远处逐渐接近样品表面时,由于样品与探针之间的切变力阻尼作用使得探针的振幅减小,通过检测探针振幅的变化可以控制探针与样品的间距.我们建立了一套探针-样品间距探测控制系统并利用该系统获得了CD盘片表面8μm×8μm范围内的切变力形貌图.     

基于过焦扫描光学显微镜的光学元件亚表面缺陷检测方法

微/纳米尺度亚表面缺陷会降低光学元件等透明样品的物理特性,严重影响光学及半导体领域加工制造技术的发展。为了快速、无损检测透明样品亚表面缺陷,本文针对光学元件亚表面内微米量级缺陷的检测需求,提出了一种基于过焦扫描光学显微镜（TSOM）的检测方法。利用可见光光源显微镜和精密位移台,沿光轴对亚表面缺陷进行扫描,得到亚表面缺陷的一系列光学图像。将采集到的图像按照空间位置进行堆叠,生成TSOM图像。通过获得所测特征的最大灰度值来获得亚表面缺陷的定位信息。提出方法对2000μm深亚表面缺陷的定位相对标准差达到0.12%。该研究为透明样品亚表面缺陷检测及其深度定位提供了一种新方法。     

Sensitivity analysis of scanning near-field optical microscope probe

In this paper, we study the dynamic modes of a scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) which uses an optical fiber probe; and the sensitivity of flexural and axial vibration modes for the probe were derived and the closed-form expressions were obtained. According to the analysis, as expected each mode has a different sensitivity and the first mode is the most sensitive mode of flexural and axial vibration for the SNOM probe. The sensitivities of both flexural and axial modes are greater for a material surface that is compliant with the cantilever probe. As the contact stiffness increases, the high-order vibration modes are more sensitive than the lower-order modes. Furthermore, the axial contact stiffness has a significant effect on the sensitivity of the SNOM probe, and this should be noted when designing new cantilever probes.     

Multifunctional universal SPM nanoprobe fabrication with laser technology

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is a high spatial resolution method of surface topography visualization and measurement of its local properties. The detecting of interaction arising between the sharp solid-state probe and the sample surface is the foundation of SPM. In dependence from nature of this interaction the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning force microscopy (SFM), scanning near field optical microscopy (SNOM), etc. are distinguished. The spatial resolution of all types of probe microscopy determines both sharpness of increasing of interaction between a probe and a sample at their approach, and shape and size of a top of a solid-state probe. So, the progress in SPM information capabilities is highly depends on probe properties and first of all on properly fabricated aperture size. Fabrication procedures are rather complicated because of nanometric scale size of aperture and hard requirements to reproducibility and need to be improved. The way how to do it by laser-assisted drawing-out is involving of feed-back in a processing procedure-results in two types of feedback for the process of drawing-out has been suggested, tested and installed into the technological set-up. Different probes have been fabricated by above mentioned laser-assisted stretching during this work: SNOM types from optical fibers, micropipettes from quartz glass capillaries, micropipettes with microwires inside and with metallic covers outside. Some examples of application of above mentioned combined probes for cell membrane technology are described. Most important from them are topographical studying of cells and bacteria in living condition (in liquid) and studying of the mechanical properties of cell (rigidity of cell membrane) using the nanopipette as a tip of a force sensor. Except for that using the model sample the measurement of ion current that runs through nanopipette which also carries out a role of a tip of a force sensor have been done. Thus it is shown, that using a probe as a nanopipette, it is possible to combine SPM method with well-known patch-clamp method.     

PIEZOELECTRIC Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 MICRO-DEVICES FOR SCANNING FORCE MICROSCOPY AND ULTRA-DENSITY DATA STORAGE

In this paper we report two types of micro devices based on Pb(Zr, Ti)O₃ (PZT) thin films for improving the throughput of scanning force microscopy (SFM) or data storage using SFM. One is a piezoelectric cantilever array integrated with force sensor as well as z-actuator on each cantilever for parallel operation. The 125-μm-long PZT micro cantilever with a natural resonant frequency of 189 kHz has a high actuation sensitivity of 75 nm/V. Independent parallel images using two cantilevers of the array were obtained. The other is a novel micro-SFM device that is expected to replace the cantilever, the deflection detection unit, and the macro-fabricated scanner which is the bottle neck limiting the single probe acquisition rate. The bridge-structured device has shown a microscopy sensitivity of 0.32 nA/nm in vertical direction and actuation abilities of 70-80nm/±V in the lateral direction.     

Influence of the probe-sample interaction on scanning near-field optical microscopic images in the far field

We have studied the influence of probe-sample interaction in a scanning near-field optical microscopy （SNOM） in the far field by using samples with a step structure. For a sample with a step height of - λ/4, the SNOM image contrast between the two sides of the step changes periodically at different scan heights. For a step height of-λ/2, the image contrast remains approximately the same. The probe-sample interaction determines the SNOM image contrast here. The influence of different refractive indices of the sample has been also analysed by using a simple theoretical model.     

Image dipole approach and polarization effects in scanning near-field optical microscopy

A coupled-dipole approach is proposed in order to study the coupling between the probe tip and the rough sample in SNOM. In the present model both the optical probe tip and the sample protrusions are represented by polarizable dipole spheres. The induced polarization effects on the sample surface can be replaced by the image dipoles in the circumstance of quasi-static electromagnetic field approximation. Applying the radiation theory of the dipole, we have established a set of self-consistent equations to describe the field distribution at the sites of the probe tip and the sample protrusions. The results are completely the same as those obtained by means of the dyadic electromagnetic propagator formalism and also the derivation procedure is relatively simple. This method permits us to analyze the physical mechanisms of the interaction between the probe tip and the rough surface in SNOM intuitively. Based on this approach, we further discuss the influence of polarization of the incident light on the imaging quality. The calculating result shows that the shape and the contrast of the images of the sample are both sensitive to the field polarization, and the z-polarized mode is proved to give better resolution in SNOM.     

Apertureless near field optical microscopy: a contribution to the understanding of the signal detected in the presence of a background field

Apertureless scanning near field optical microscopy techniques have become a common way of studying surface samples. By using a nano-probe that scatters the electromagnetic non-propagative waves emerging from a given sample, this microscopy provides optical images with a resolution beyond the diffraction limit. Despite a great diversity of works covering a wide variety of physical domains, the formation of the images obtained is not yet fully understood. The purpose of this letter is to assess the influence of the tip position and imposed oscillation of the tip in apertureless SNOM when a background field is added to the scattered near field. We propose a simple analytical model which enables us to account for the experimental results and explains how, depending on the experimental conditions, the near field signal can totally disappear or, on the contrary, be greatly enhanced.     

Scanning probe microscope with interchangeable AFM-FFM and STM heads

Summary A scanning probe microscope operating in air with interchangeable atomic force-friction force (AFM-FFM) and electronic-tunnelling (STM) heads is presented. Our AFM operates in the so-called contact mode and utilizes the optical-lever detection method which allows simultaneous measurement of the topography as well as the lateral force. The set-up also contains an optical microscope to control both the sample and the probe laser spot on the cantilever. The experimental method to change from AFM to STM operation is based on the use of the probe laser beam and the optical microscope. The maximum scanning area is (24×24) μm² and it is well embraced in the optical-microscope visual field. The microscope attains atomic resolution in air in both AFM and STM configuration. Its performance is demonstrated on the surface of different samples. In honour of Prof. Fausto Fumi on the occasion of his retirement from teaching.     

Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscopy and Microspectroscopy of Green Fluorescent Protein in Intact Escherichia coli Bacteria

Scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) yields high-resolution topographic and optical information and constitutes an important new technique for visualizing biological systems. By coupling a spectrograph to a near-field microscope, we have been able to perform microspectroscopic measurements with a spatial resolution greatly exceeding that of the conventional optical microscope. Here we present SNOM images of Escherichia coli bacteria expressing a mutant green fluorescent protein (GFP), an important reporter molecule in cell, developmental, and molecular biology. Near-field emission spectra confirm that the fluorescence detected by SNOM arises from bacterially expressed GFP molecules.     

Electrical Measurement Techniques in Atomic Force Microscopy

A conductive tip in an atomic force microscope (AFM) has extended the capability from conventional topographic imaging to electrical surface characterization. The conductive tip acts as a voltage electrode to provide stimuli and monitor electrical surface properties. In this review article, we have organized the AFM electrical techniques based on whether the electrical properties are monitored at the cantilever tip or across the sample. Furthermore, the techniques are organized based on probe detection signal. A number of acronyms are used in the literature, and the more commonly used ones are identified. The principle of each technique is described, and representative applications are presented. A better understanding of the spectrum of techniques should serve as the driver to expand the application of electrical techniques to study interdisciplinary phenomena at the nanoscale.