We present three-dimensional simulations of the image formation of microstructure in near-field optical microscopy with the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method (FDTD). First, we calculated the intensity distributions inside and outside and the flux densities for both the tapered and parabolic fiber probes used in near-field optical microscope and nanolithography. The calculating result shows that for different kinds of shape the intensity distributions in both probes are similar and present standing wave forms; but the amplitudes and locations of peaks of the standing waves are different from each other. The intensity outward parabolic probe is higher than that outward tapered probe. Then we computed the intensity distributions of the samples which are composed of different materials by different polarization illumination. Assuming an aperture-type probe in collection-mode near-field microscope, we compare the images produced from the sample composed of three dielectric blocks in nanometer at a distance of 25nm and 150nm, respectively, under constant-high-scanning mode along with the direction of the polarization of the illuminating light, with near-field distribution of the sample without probe. The results show that the probe disturbs the original field distribution of the sample. The received signal is different from the original field distribution of the sample. However the received signal contains high frequency information of the sample in near-field region. Due to probe-sample interaction, parts of evanescent field transform into propagation wave. Only the interaction between the probe and sample in the near field makes possible to probe the high-frequency components and achieve the super-resolution. Therefore, the detected resolution depends on an assembly of the tip size, shape of the tip, distance between tip and sample, relative position and material characteristics of both tip and sample. These results provide the basis for correct interpretation of experimental work.
We investigate the plasmon resonances of 100nm nanowires with a non-elliptical section (a triangular metal particle) using the finite difference time domain method (FDTD). By modeling the frequency dependent dielectric response of the triangular metal particle, we find the field distribution at the surface of these wires exhibits a dramatic enhancement, up to several tens times the incident field amplitude. In particular, the strongest electric field enhancement with the greatest confinement occurs for the excitations of modes localized at the corner of the metal triangular. Bulk modes excited in the triangular particle also produce enhancement although over a larger area and with significantly less enhancement than that of the localized modes. Adding a dipole at the corner of the triangular metal particle, the field distribution at the corner of these particles exhibits a more dramatic enhancement, up to several hundreds times. These strongly localized fields can provide an important mechanism for surface enhanced Raman scattering.
KEYWORDS: Near field scanning optical microscopy, Finite-difference time-domain method, Dielectric polarization, Metals, 3D modeling, Near field optics, Maxwell's equations, Optical fibers, Electromagnetism, Scanning electron microscopy
Scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) can provide optical imaging with ultrahigh resolution owing to its breakthrough the limit of optical diffraction. Metal coated optical fiber probe in nano-scale is one of the most important parts in aperture type of SNOM. Tip diameter and structure determine the final spatial resolution and experimental utility of SNOM. In order to understand the behavior of light propagation in the probes, we have investigated two kinds of 3D probe models (metal coated and uncoated) by solving Maxwell equations with the Finite- Difference Time-Domain method. The 3D computation reveals that the field distribution of light in the probes are some patterns due to the polarization of light and the structure of the probe. This result can guide to find optimized tip design.
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