The Imaging of Small Domains of J-Aggregated Dye Molecules by Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscopy

The concept of high resolution imaging of a sample on a metal substrate by scanning near field optical microscopy (SNOM) with the tetrahedral tip is used for imaging of domains of oriented dye molecules on a metal substrate at a resolution in the order of 10 nm. The metal substrate is important for obtaining a high resolution in the SNOM images and at the same time it is expected to provide a mechanism for an increased contrast in SNOM imaging by scanning probe enhanced elastic scattering of molecules in the gap between a metal tip and a metal surface.