Writing 40 nm marks by using a beaked metallic plate near-field optical probe

We have developed a near-field optical probe that uses a triangular metallic plate with a three-dimensionally tapered apex as a light source for thermally assisted magnetic recording. Numerical analysis using a finite-element method shows that the size of the optical spot generated at the apex is 15 nm x 20 nm, and the efficiency (defined as the ratio between the power of the optical near field at the surface of the recording medium and that of the incident light) is 15% when the incident light is focused by a lens with a numerical aperture of 0.8. The metallic plate was fabricated on the surface of a quartz slider and used for writing marks on a phase change recording medium. The marks were observed with a scanning electron microscope, and we confirmed that marks with a diameter of 40 nm were successfully written on the medium.     

Photon emission from adsorbed C60 molecules with sub-nanometer lateral resolution

We present the first experimental demonstration of spatially resolved photon emission of individual molecules on a surface. A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) was used as a local electron source to excite photon emission from hexagonal arrays of C₆₀ molecules on Au(110) surfaces. Specifically, we show that in maps of photon emission intensities, C₆₀ fullerenes appear as arrays of individual light emitters 4 Å in diameter and separated by 10 Å. Comparison with simultaneously recorded STM images reveals, that most intense emission is detected when the STM tip is centered above a molecule. The results demonstrate the highest spatial resolution of light emission to date using a scanning probe technique.     

Surface plasmon radiation forces

We report the first experimental observation of momentum transfer from a surface plasmon to a single dielectric sphere. Using a photonic force microscope, we measure the plasmon radiation forces on different polystyrene beads as a function of their distance from the metal surface. We show that the force magnitude at resonance is strongly enhanced compared to a nonresonant illumination. Measurements performed as a function of the probe particle size indicate that optical manipulation by plasmon fields has a strong potential for optical sorting.     

Simultaneous Measurement of Velocity and Equivalent Diameter on Non-Spherical Particles

The performance of a laser-based optical technique to measure simultaneously the velocity and equivalent diameter of nonsphercial particles was evaluated. The size information was provided by the absolute intensity of diffractively scattered light by a particle crossing a single laser beam, which is concentric with a laser Doppler probe volume. The response curve (size-intensity relationship) of the technique was estimated by calculations using the Fraunhofer approximation. Experiments with spherical glass and polyethylene and non-spherical metal and ceramic particles ranging from 20 to 200 μm confirmed the operation of the technique and in all the measurements the maximum error of the average diameter was 10 μm as compared with size information provided by a microscope.     

Corrugated SNOM probe with enhanced energy throughput

In a previous paper we proposed a modification of metal-coated tapered-fibre aperture probes for scanning near-field optical microscopes (SNOMs). The modification consists in radial corrugations of the metal-dielectric interface oriented inward the core. Their purpose is to facilitate the excitation of surface plasmons, which increase the transport of energy beyond the cut-off diameter and radiate a quasi-dipolar field from the probe output rim. An increase in energy output allows for reduction of the apex diameter, which is the main factor determining the resolution of the microscope. In two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations we analyse the performance of the new type of SNOM probe. We admit, however, that the two-dimensional approximation gives better results than expected from exact three-dimensional ones. Nevertheless, optimisation of enhanced energy throughput in corrugated probes should lead to at least twice better resolution with the same sensitivity of detectors available nowadays.     

Hardness evaluation with an optical ring light

Evaluation of hardness by interrogating the residual indentation in a static test using a microscope can be hampered by poor image quality. Image digitization with processing may overcome this but is limited by cost, convenience, and speed. It is shown that the indented surface on the sample in a Brinell test acts effectively as a spherical mirror. Thus, placement of an optical ring light coaxial with the microscope objective and at varying distances from the sample surface produces a distinct right light image that can be correspondingly altered in diameter. The Brinell hardness can be computed by determining the ring light to sample distance after adjusting the ring light image diameter to equal the indentation diameter. This approach is verified experimentally and found to be accurate, cost effective, and expeditious.     

Electroless nickel plating on optical fiber probe

As a component of near-field scanning optical microscope （NSOM）, optical fiber probe is an important factor influncing the equipment resolution. Electroless nickel plating is introduced to metallize the optical fiber probe. The optical fibers are etched by 40% HF with Turner etching method. Through pretreatment, the optical fiber probe is coated with Ni-P film by electroless plating in a constant temperature water tank. Atomic absorption spectrometry （AAS）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry （EDXS） are carried out to characterize the deposition on fiber probe. We have reproducibly fabricated two kinds of fiber probes with a Ni-P film： aperture probe and apertureless probe. In addition, reductive particle transportation on the surface of fiber probe is proposed to explain the cause of these probes.     

Near-field photoluminescence of Si-doped GaAs

We have measured surface photoluminescence properties of Si-doped bulk GaAs using a near-field scanning optical microscope. An apertured fiber probe tip is used as an emitter of excitation laser as well as a collector of luminescence from GaAs. Due to the Fabry-Perot etalon effect, the excitation laser is reflected or transmitted with an oscillation period of λ._He-Ne/2 as the gap between the tip and the GaAs surface varies. The luminescence from GaAs also varies with an oscillation period of λ_GaAs/2 due to the same etalon effect. Therefore, the intensity of luminescence light collected by the probe tip shows a beating between two oscillations of different periods. When the probe approaches the GaAs surface, the collected luminescence intensity increases due to tunneling of evanescent wave. On the other hand, when we collect the luminescence using a lens, the intensity also increases due to similar coupling of evanescent wave into propagating wave in spite of a shadowing effect of the wide metal coating.     

Nano-optical image and probe in a scanning near-field optical microscope

We study a nanometer-sized optical probe and image in a scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM). We demonstrated the potential to observe 5-nm wide optical patterns using the SNOM. The probe profile was measured by using a knife-edge method and a modulated transfer function evaluation method. An aluminum covered and pipet-pulled fiber probe used here has two optical probes, one which has a large diameter of 350 nm and one which has a small diameter of around 10 nm.     

The Colloidal Probe Technique and its Application to Adhesion Force Measurements

Knowledge of the interaction forces between colloidal particles and surfaces is a precondition for understanding the stability of dispersed systems and adhesion phenomena. One of the methods available for direct measurement of surface forces is the atomic force microscope (AFM). Based on this method the so called “colloidal probe technique” was developed more than 10 years ago. Using a micron‐sized particle glued to the end of an AFM cantilever as the force sensor, this technique is predestined for the study of colloidal interactions. In this review we describe the colloidal probe technique and give an overview of its application in the field of adhesion forces.     

颗粒溶液颗粒尺寸及浓度的差分偏振弹性散射光谱在线分析方法

偏振弹性散射光谱技术的基本原理为在偏振光入射条件下,根据出射光的偏振特性不同可以筛选出浅表层组织的单次散射光信息和深层组织的漫散射光信息。该研究的创新点在于将这种方法应用于颗粒溶液检测,目的是在颗粒溶液原始状态下实现对颗粒尺寸及浓度的同时检测。设计了一个共轴笼式光学系统,测量了聚苯乙烯微球颗粒溶液某一角度的背向散射信号,通过控制入射端和收集端偏振片的偏振方向获得了颗粒溶液的偏振平行光谱与偏振垂直光谱,两者之差即偏振差分光谱对应颗粒的单次散射信息,将该单次散射信息与Mie散射数据库进行比对获得颗粒的尺寸,然后在颗粒尺寸作为已知的条件下进一步分析偏振垂直光谱,将该垂直光谱对应的颗粒溶液的漫散射信息代入光漫散射下的近似表达式拟合得到颗粒的浓度信息。将实验结果与样品提供值进行了比对,并进一步分析了在获取颗粒数浓度时,颗粒直径的方差分布对结果的影响,最终验证了该实验方法的可行性。该方法的潜在应用包括对标准颗粒制造厂商的产品在线检测以及对牛奶制品中脂肪和蛋白质的浓度检测研究。     

Combining transmission geometry laser ablation and a noncontact continuous flow surface sampling probe/electrospray emitter for mass spectrometry based chemical imaging

This paper describes the coupling of ambient pressure transmission geometry laser ablation with a liquid-phase sample collection into a continuous flow surface sampling probe/electrospray emitter for mass spectrometry based chemical imaging. The flow probe/emitter device was placed in close proximity to the surface to collect the sample plume produced by laser ablation. The sample collected was immediately aspirated into the probe and onto the electrospray emitter, ionized and detected with the mass spectrometer. Freehand drawn ink lines and letters and an inked fingerprint on microscope slides were analyzed. The circular laser ablation area was about 210 μm in diameter and under the conditions used in these experiments the spatial resolution, as determined by the size of the surface features distinguished in the chemical images, was about 100 μm.     

SiO2包覆上转换发光材料Na(Y0.57Yb0.39Er0.04)F4的研究

近年来上转换发光材料在荧光标记中由于其独特的优势引起人们极大的关注.但在某些应用过程中出现分散性不好和易于沉降的缺点,影响了它作为荧光探针的应用.为了改善这种状况,制备了一种由二氧化硅包覆的上转换发光材料.并用红外光谱、扫描电镜、透射电镜等手段对材料进行了表征.结果表明二氧化硅已经包覆到上转换材料上,并且在实验条件下制备的产物粒径较小,颗粒为均匀的球形,二氧化硅包覆层厚度大约为10nm.实验还对包覆条件进行了探索,得到最佳实验条件为:试验选用正丁醇作溶剂,体积为100mL;用氨水作分散剂;催化剂水和正硅酸乙酯的量的比应是1:1,反应时间为40min.     

Optical microrheology using rotating laser-trapped particles

We demonstrate an optical system that can apply and accurately measure the torque exerted by the trapping beam on a rotating birefringent probe particle. This allows the viscosity and surface effects within liquid media to be measured quantitatively on a micron-size scale using a trapped rotating spherical probe particle. We use the system to measure the viscosity inside a prototype cellular structure.     

Near-field imaging of the interference pattern of counterpropagating evanescent waves

It is generally accepted that measurement of the contrast of the intensity interference pattern formed by two counterpropagating evanescent waves can be used to characterize the resolving power of a collection near-field microscope. We argue that, if the light collected by a fiber probe propagates toward a detector in the form of guided fiber modes, then this perception is wrong. Using symmetry arguments and simple calculations, we show that, if an extended fiber probe is axially symmetric and oriented perpendicular to the propagation direction, then the measured contrast should always be equal to the contrast of the interference pattern.     

High mobility holes on hydrogen-terminated diamond surface

Boron-doped diamond was grown by the chemical vapour deposition technique, of which the surface is atomically flat. We have measured cyclotron resonance of hydrogen-terminated boron-doped diamond and found that holes have very high mobility. Furthermore, we have successfully fabricated nano-structures on the surface with use of the scanning probe microscope. These properties suggest that diamond can be a candidate material for solid state quantum devices.     

Measurement of electron density distribution in the probe of a low voltage SEM

A method for measuring the electron density distribution in the probe of a low voltage scanning electron microscope is described. It is shown that the focused electron probe of an S 4800 scanning electron microscope at the electron energy of 200 eV has a Gaussian shape of the electron density with the effective diameter of the probe of 20 nm.     

Shear-thickening behavior of modified silica nanoparticles in polyethylene glycol

The surface of silica nanoparticles with an average diameter of 650 nm was modified by ball milling and chemical treatment with ethylene glycol (EG). The Fourier-transform infrared spectra and particle size analysis methods were used to characterize the modified silica nanoparticles. The morphologies of the silica nanoparticles before and after the different surface treatments were examined by transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope. The rheological behaviors of modified silica suspensions in polyethylene glycol were studied by using Anton-paar 301 stress-controlled rheometer. The results of rheological tests indicated that the surface treatments had a great effect on increasing the maximum weight fraction of silica nanoparticles in Shear-thickening fluids, especially treated by the chemical method with EG.     

Fundamentals and model of photonic-force microscopy

Exact calculations of the near-field electromagnetic force on a nanoparticle exerted by the presence of a corrugated dielectric interface are carried out. The illumination of this system excites the particle eigenmodes. The calculation is two-dimensional, so the nanoparticle is actually a nanocylinder that scans parallel to the interface. This system constitutes a model of force transduction and surface topography imaging for a photonic-force microscope with signal enhancement owing to morphological resonance excitation of the probe.     

Evanescent light–atom interaction detected by optogalvanic effect

An evanescent light penetrating an atomic vapour near a dielectric surface could be a probe for many atom-boundary phenomena. We show the possibility of very sensitive detection of the resonant atom–light interaction near the surface by using the optogalvanic effect for an evanescent wave. We observe a narrowing of the profile of the detected atomic line, and we point out some properties of the optogalvanic effect in the evanescent wave.