Singular beam scanning microscopy: preliminary experimental results

摘要

Abstract. High-sensitivity and a high-speed nanoscale measurement isnan important subject in modern industry, especially when analysis ofnhigh-speed moving nanoscale objects on a surface is required. Severalnobjectives in this direction can be achieved by using singular beam mi-ncroscopy, which we investigate experimentally for the examination ofnsmall phase steps. We discuss the challenges of rigorous modeling ofnexperiments employing high-numerical-aperture illumination and de-nscribe experimental results performed with a medium numerical aperturenof 0.55. The investigated equivalent phase step heights reached as lownas 10 nm u0001about 1/15 radu0002. © 2010 Society of Photo-Optical InstrumentationnEngineers. u0003DOI: 10.1117/1.3381180