Finite element method simulation of the field distribution for AFM tip-enhanced surface-enhanced Raman scanning microscopy

Electric field enhancement distributions encountered in atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip-enhanced surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) experiments (AFM-SERS) are simulated using a frequency-domain three-dimensional finite element method to solve Maxwell's equations of electric field distributions. We simulated an electromagnetic field enhancement in the vicinity of an AFM tip in close proximity to silver spherical nanoparticles under the illumination of a laser beam of various incident angles under different geometric arrangements. Maximum electric field enhancement is discussed in terms of the relative position of the tip and nanoparticles, as well as the direction of excitation laser propagation. Our results suggest new approaches for using AFM-SERS tip-enhanced near-field technique to image samples on surfaces.