We demonstrate unambiguously that the field enhancement near the apex of a laser-illuminated silicon tip decays according to a power law that is moderated by a single parameter characterizing the tip sharpness. Oscillating the probe in intermittent contact with a semiconductor nanocrystal strongly modulates the fluorescence excitation rate, providing robust optical contrast and enabling excellent background rejection. Laterally encoded demodulation yields images with <10 nm spatial resolution, consistent with independent measurements of tip sharpness.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.180801 | DOI Listing |
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!