System and method for scanning near-field optical microscopy

Abstract

A method for scanning near-field optical microscopy comprises illuminating an apertureless atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe with electromagnetic energy having a frequency in the Terahertz range, where the sample under observation includes a dielectric layer having a thickness greater than the radius of the tip of the AFM probe. A system for scanning near-field optical microscopy comprises a collimated light source for emitting collimated light, a photoconductive antenna for converting collimated light into electromagnetic energy having a frequency in the Terahertz range, an AFM probe, a sample comprising a dielectric layer, the dielectric layer having a thickness greater than the radius of the probe tip; and a detector configured to detect energy that has interacted with the sample.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.