Near-field scanning Raman microscopy using apertureless probes

We describe an apertureless near-field scanning Raman microscope in reflection geometry developed by integrating a near-field scanning optical microscope and a Raman spectrometer. This set-up offers some unique features that make it applicable to more samples. The fabrication of the metal tips is also explained in detail. Near-field Raman mappings have been realized on real silicon devices for the first time. The results illustrate the capability of our near-field Raman microscope in 2D Raman imaging. The apertureless configuration is a breakthrough to the limitation set by the low optical throughput of metal-coated optical fiber tips, reducing drastically the integration time for Raman spectra. The reflection scattering geometry makes the system applicable to any samples without preparation. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.