Optical intensity mapping on the nanometer scale by near-field photodetection optical microscopy

Near-field photodetection optical microscopy (NPOM) is a fundamentally new approach to near-field optical microscopy. This scanning-probe technique uses a nanometer-scale photodiode detector as a near-field optical probe. We have fabricated probes for NPOM that have optically sensitive areas as small as 100 nm x 100 nm. These new NPOM probes have been employed to image light transmitted through holes in an aluminum film. Near-surface optical interference is observed near defects and edges of the aluminum film. The optical edge response is shown to be of the order of 100 nm. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America