New Instrumentation for Nanoscale Subsurface Spectroscopy and Tomography

摘要

The objective of this MURI project was the development of techniques for non-destructive, chemically specific, three-dimensional nanoscale characterization of subsurface structures. The MURI team explored different measurement modalities (near-field spectroscopy, tunneling microscopy, fluorescence self-interference, and solid immersion lens microscopy) with the goal to combine them in a single measurement platform. A central goal was to combine the high chemical specificity provided by optical spectroscopy (e.g. IR absorption, Raman scattering) with near-field detection based on optical antennas (e.g. metal tips, particles). Operating in a transparent frequency- window made it possible to perform high-resolution chemical imaging of subsurface structures. The microwave regime has been explored for the detection of electron spins and dopants. Furthermore, using solid immersion lenses and fluorescence self-interference the team developed subsurface imaging of features buried at a distance of many wavelengths. The experimental effort was guided by theoretical studies aimed at the three-dimensional reconstruction of nanoscale objects with unprecedented resolution.