ISSN:
1089-7623
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
,
Electrical Engineering, Measurement and Control Technology
Notes:
Due to the weakness of the fluorescence signal from a single fluorophore, a scanning near-field optical microscope for single molecule spectroscopy requires a very efficient setup for the collection and detection of emitted photons. We have developed a home-built microscope for operation in a l-He cryostat which uses a solid parabolic mirror in order to optimize the fluorescence collection efficiency. This microscope works with Al-coated, tapered optical fibers in illumination mode. The tip-sample separation is probed by an optical shear-force detection. First results demonstrate the capability of the microscope to image single molecules and achieve a topographical resolution of a few nanometers vertically and better than 50 nm laterally. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1149591
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