Infrared Imaging of Single Nanoparticles via Strong Field Enhancement in a Scanning Nanogap

: We demonstrate nanoscale resolved infrared imaging of single nanoparticles employing near-field coupling in the nanoscopic gap between the metal tip of a scattering-type near-field optical microscope and the substrate supporting the particles. Experimental and theoretical evidence is provided that highly reflecting or polariton-resonant substrates strongly enhance the near-field optical particle contrast. Using Si substrates we succeeded in detecting Au particles as small as 8 nm (

Keywords:

• Nanoparticle
• Near-field optics
• Near-field scanning optical microscope
• Infrared
• Infrared spectroscopy
• Nuclear magnetic resonance
• Materials science
• Near and far field
• Atomic physics
• Nanoscopic scale
• Particle
• Optoelectronics
• Wavelength
• Optics
• Optical microscope
• Nanocrystal
• Physics

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