Probe-sample interaction in near-field microscopy: analysis of the interaction between a metal diffraction grating and a plane conductor

Abstract

The effect of the presence of a detecting probe on the image obtained by a scanning near-field optical microscope is examined theoretically. The probe is modelled as a conducting plane containing a subwavelength aperture and the object as a conducting diffraction grating. Although the presence of the "probe" is found to slightly affect the near-field "image" obtained, the most striking influence on image quality is the polarization of the incident radiation. © 1993.