High-order near-field imaging of low-dimensional materials at infrared wavelengths

Abstract Near-field imaging provides insight into the fundamental light-matter interactions on a nanometer scale. Scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) is a powerful technique capable of overcoming the diffraction limit and achieving spatial resolutions below 10 nm (sub-10...

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Main Authors: Shuhao Zhao, Peirui Ji, Fei Wang, Shaobo Li, Guofeng Zhang, Tao Liu, Shuming Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-06-01
Series:Microsystems & Nanoengineering
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-025-00953-z
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author Shuhao Zhao
Peirui Ji
Fei Wang
Shaobo Li
Guofeng Zhang
Tao Liu
Shuming Yang
author_facet Shuhao Zhao
Peirui Ji
Fei Wang
Shaobo Li
Guofeng Zhang
Tao Liu
Shuming Yang
author_sort Shuhao Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Near-field imaging provides insight into the fundamental light-matter interactions on a nanometer scale. Scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) is a powerful technique capable of overcoming the diffraction limit and achieving spatial resolutions below 10 nm (sub-10 nm). However, constrained by the working mechanisms, the signal-to-noise ratio of the imaging is highly affected by undesired background scattering light, which is found to be associated with the optical mode and excitation wavelength, especially for samples with a large specific surface area. Here, we propose a high-resolution method with high-order near-field modes at the infrared range to measure low-dimensional materials. With this technique, we reveal the excitation and propagation of the surface plasmon polaritons in graphene and carbon nanotubes, which was impossible with the low-order imaging approach. Besides, the imaging quality for gold nanoparticles on gold thin film is much better than the AFM results. This paper offers an advanced approach for high-resolution measurement of low-dimensional materials with s-SNOM, owning great potential for sensitive nanoscale imaging.
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institution OA Journals
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spelling doaj-art-648d041aea024aad8daf21641c6b368b2025-08-20T02:30:42ZengNature Publishing GroupMicrosystems & Nanoengineering2055-74342025-06-011111910.1038/s41378-025-00953-zHigh-order near-field imaging of low-dimensional materials at infrared wavelengthsShuhao Zhao0Peirui Ji1Fei Wang2Shaobo Li3Guofeng Zhang4Tao Liu5Shuming Yang6State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing System Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityState Key Laboratory for Manufacturing System Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityState Key Laboratory for Manufacturing System Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityState Key Laboratory for Manufacturing System Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityState Key Laboratory for Manufacturing System Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityState Key Laboratory for Manufacturing System Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityState Key Laboratory for Manufacturing System Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityAbstract Near-field imaging provides insight into the fundamental light-matter interactions on a nanometer scale. Scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) is a powerful technique capable of overcoming the diffraction limit and achieving spatial resolutions below 10 nm (sub-10 nm). However, constrained by the working mechanisms, the signal-to-noise ratio of the imaging is highly affected by undesired background scattering light, which is found to be associated with the optical mode and excitation wavelength, especially for samples with a large specific surface area. Here, we propose a high-resolution method with high-order near-field modes at the infrared range to measure low-dimensional materials. With this technique, we reveal the excitation and propagation of the surface plasmon polaritons in graphene and carbon nanotubes, which was impossible with the low-order imaging approach. Besides, the imaging quality for gold nanoparticles on gold thin film is much better than the AFM results. This paper offers an advanced approach for high-resolution measurement of low-dimensional materials with s-SNOM, owning great potential for sensitive nanoscale imaging.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-025-00953-z
spellingShingle Shuhao Zhao
Peirui Ji
Fei Wang
Shaobo Li
Guofeng Zhang
Tao Liu
Shuming Yang
High-order near-field imaging of low-dimensional materials at infrared wavelengths
Microsystems & Nanoengineering
title High-order near-field imaging of low-dimensional materials at infrared wavelengths
title_full High-order near-field imaging of low-dimensional materials at infrared wavelengths
title_fullStr High-order near-field imaging of low-dimensional materials at infrared wavelengths
title_full_unstemmed High-order near-field imaging of low-dimensional materials at infrared wavelengths
title_short High-order near-field imaging of low-dimensional materials at infrared wavelengths
title_sort high order near field imaging of low dimensional materials at infrared wavelengths
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-025-00953-z
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AT shaoboli highordernearfieldimagingoflowdimensionalmaterialsatinfraredwavelengths
AT guofengzhang highordernearfieldimagingoflowdimensionalmaterialsatinfraredwavelengths
AT taoliu highordernearfieldimagingoflowdimensionalmaterialsatinfraredwavelengths
AT shumingyang highordernearfieldimagingoflowdimensionalmaterialsatinfraredwavelengths