Single terrylene molecules embedded in microscopic p-terphenyl crystals are identified with the technique of fluorescence excitation spectroscopy. By use of the architecture of a scanning-probe microscope at T = 1.4 K, a single molecule is scanned through an excitation laser beam while the fluorescence signal is recorded. In this manner we have mapped the intensity distribution in a one-dimensional optical standing wave, demonstrating the potential of a single molecule as a nanometric probe. We discuss future experiments aimed at combining the high spatial and spectral sensitivity of a single molecule. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.
Prospects of apertureless SNOM with active probes
Vahid Sandoghdar,
Jürgen Mlynek
Journal of Optics A-Pure and Applied Optics
1
523-530
(1999)
| Journal
We discuss the theoretical and experimental considerations of performing scanning near-field optical microscopy using subwavelength active media. In particular, we describe our efforts to realize such experiments using both finite-size nanoscopic probes and probes consisting of a single molecule as the source. In conclusion, we briefly address potential applications of these probes to other areas of science.
A novel fabrication method for fluorescence-based apertureless scanning near-field optical microscope probes
P. Kramper,
A. Jebens,
T. Muller,
Jürgen Mlynek,
Vahid Sandoghdar
Journal of Microscopy-Oxford
194
340-343
(1999)
| Journal
We report a novel method for the fabrication of probes with localized sub-wavelength fluorescing media at their extremities. We present our first results and discuss future plans to extend this technique to the systematic fabrication of fluorescent probes for apertureless scanning near-field optical microscopy.
Contact
Nano-Optics Division Prof. Vahid Sandoghdar
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light Staudtstr. 2 91058 Erlangen, Germany
