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Free keywords:
SNIM; SNOM; vibrational spectroscopy; near-field microscopy
Abstract:
Abbe's diffraction limit did in the past prevent the analytical tool of vibrational-infrared spectroscopy from reaching beyond a spatial resolution of lambda/2. This limit has been overcome with the invention of near-field proximal probes. Here we emphasize scattering-type scanning near-field infrared microscopy (s-SNIM) which offers two unique advantages for vibrational-absorption-based microscope contrast: (i) spatial resolution of <30 nm, and (ii) enhanced infrared absorption, together enabling "chemical" microscopy of even weakly- absorbing nanometric samples. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
