Near-field scanning Raman microscopy using apertureless probes

Abstract

We describe an apertureless near-field scanning Raman microscope in reflection geometry developed by integrating a near-field scanning optical microscope and a Raman spectrometer. This set-up offers some unique features that make it applicable to more samples. The fabrication of the metal tips is also explained in detail. Near-field Raman mappings have been realized on real silicon devices for the first time. The results illustrate the capability of our near-field Raman microscope in 2D Raman imaging. The apertureless configuration is a breakthrough to the limitation set by the low optical throughput of metal-coated optical fiber tips, reducing drastically the integration time for Raman spectra. The reflection scattering geometry makes the system applicable to any samples without preparation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.