title: Waveguide analysis of heat-drawn and chemically etched probe tips for scanning near-field optical microscopy.
abstract: We analyze two basic aspects of a scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) probe's operation: (i) spot-size evolution of the electric field along the probe with and without a metal layer, and (ii) a modal analysis of the SNOM probe, particularly in close proximity to the aperture. A slab waveguide model is utilized to minimize the analytical complexity, yet provides useful quantitative results--including losses associated with the metal coating--which can then be used as design rules.
authors.affiliation: BERATA GmbH, Munchen, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Moar
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Love
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ladouceur
authors.forename: Laurence W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Cahill
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004595:Electroplating; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014159:Transducers