Scattering-Type Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscopy with Akiyama Piezo-Probes
ORAL
Abstract
Recent developments of the scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope at cryogenic temperatures (cryogenic s-SNOM or cryo-SNOM) have led to many breakthroughs in the studies of low energy excitations in quantum materials. However, the simultaneous demands on vibration isolation, low base temperature, precise nano-positioning, and optical access make the construction of a cryo-SNOM a daunting task. Adding to the overhead space required for a cryo-SNOM is the atomic force microscopy (AFM) control, which predominantly utilizes a laser-based detection scheme for determining the cantilever tapping motion. Here we provide an alternative and simplified route for performing s-SNOM using metal-coated Akiyama probes, where the cantilever tapping motion is detected through a piezoelectric signal. The Akiyama-based cryo-SNOM attains high spatial resolution, good near-field contrast, and is able to perform imaging with a significantly more compact system compared to other cryo-SNOM techniques. This system can also easily accommodate far-infrared wavelengths and high magnetic fields in the future.
*Stony Brook University authors acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMR-1904576. A. G. acknowledges support from the DOE Early Career Research program (Grant 2005410), from the Yale West Campus Materials Characterization Core for SEM imaging of AFM tips and from Attocube Systems in the design of a custom LT-AFM system based on Akiyama probe.
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Publication: M. Dapolito, X. Chen, C. Li, M. Tsuneto, S. Zhang, X. Du, M. Liu, and A. Gozar, "Scattering-type Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy with Akiyama Piezo-Probes," Applied Physics Letters (2021) (submitted)
Presenters
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Michael Dapolito
- Stony Brook University (SUNY)