NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL MICROSCOPE BASED ON LOCAL PERTURBATION OF A DIFFRACTION SPOT

Using a vibrating opaque metallic tip, which periodically and locally modifies the electromagnetic field distribution of a diffraction spot focused onto a sample surface through a microscope objective lens, we have observed optical resolution better than the diffraction limit both with topographical features and with This procedure simultaneously generates a reflection-mode near-field optical signal and a tapping-mode atomic force microscope signal and can therefore map independently the topography and the optical properties of a specimen. (C) 1995 Optical Society of America