Abstract

A homogeneous propagating wave falling onto submicrometer objects is partially diffracted into evanescent waves. The use of a scattering probe of subwavelength size can convert the evanescent waves into homogeneous ones and make their detection possible. The resulting propagating waves can then provide information about the subwavelength object. Relations with preliminary experiments are discussed.

© 1989 Optical Society of America

Probes for scanning tunneling optical microscopy: a theoretical comparison

D. Van Labeke and D. Barchiesi
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