A recent study published in Physics World has revealed the use of nano-emitters to launch surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and capture near-field images. This breakthrough technology has the potential to revolutionize the field of nanophotonics and pave the way for new applications in imaging, sensing, and data storage.
Surface plasmon polaritons are electromagnetic waves that propagate along the interface between a metal and a dielectric material. They are highly sensitive to changes in the local environment and can be used to detect small changes in refractive index or surface morphology. However, launching SPPs and capturing their near-field images has been a challenging task due to their short wavelength and high sensitivity to surface roughness.
The researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a new technique that uses nano-emitters to launch SPPs and capture their near-field images. The nano-emitters are made of a thin layer of gold deposited on a silicon substrate and are designed to emit electrons when a voltage is applied.
When the electrons are emitted from the nano-emitters, they interact with the gold surface and generate SPPs. These SPPs propagate along the gold surface and can be detected using a scanning probe microscope. The researchers were able to capture high-resolution images of the SPPs and study their propagation properties.
The use of nano-emitters to launch SPPs has several advantages over existing techniques. Firstly, it allows for precise control over the location and intensity of the SPPs, which is essential for applications such as data storage and sensing. Secondly, it enables the capture of near-field images with high spatial resolution, which is important for studying the properties of SPPs and their interaction with other materials.
The researchers believe that this technology has the potential to open up new avenues for research in nanophotonics and lead to the development of new applications in imaging, sensing, and data storage. For example, it could be used to develop high-density data storage devices that use SPPs to read and write data at the nanoscale.
In conclusion, the use of nano-emitters to launch SPPs and capture near-field images is a significant breakthrough in the field of nanophotonics. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we study and manipulate light at the nanoscale and could lead to the development of new applications in imaging, sensing, and data storage.
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