title: Cathodoluminescence-activated nanoimaging: noninvasive near-field optical microscopy in an electron microscope.
abstract: We demonstrate a new nanoimaging platform in which optical excitations generated by a low-energy electron beam in an ultrathin scintillator are used as a noninvasive, near-field optical scanning probe of an underlying sample. We obtain optical images of Al nanostructures with 46 nm resolution and validate the noninvasiveness of this approach by imaging a conjugated polymer film otherwise incompatible with electron microscopy due to electron-induced damage. The high resolution, speed, and noninvasiveness of this "cathodoluminescence-activated" platform also show promise for super-resolution bioimaging.
authors: Connor G
authors: CG
authors: Bischak
authors: Craig L
authors: CL
authors: Hetherington
authors: ⊥Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors: Zhe
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: Jake T
authors: JT
authors: Precht
authors: David M
authors: DM
authors: Kaz
authors: ⊥Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.|¶Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors: Darrell G
authors: DG
authors: Schlom
authors: ∇Kavli Energy NanoSciences Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.
authors: Naomi S
authors: NS
authors: Ginsberg
keywords: cathodoluminescence; nanoimaging; nanostructures; resonant near-field coupling; soft materials; super-resolution imaging