INTERACTION OF AN ASYMMETRIC SCANNING NEAR FIELD OPTICAL MICROSCOPY PROBE WITH FLUORESCENT MOLECULES

Abstract

We present a numerical analysis of the interaction between novel scanning near fleld optical microscopy probes based on an asymmetric structure and a single ∞uorescent molecule. Our flnite element analysis shows how such near fleld probes can be efiectively used for high resolution detection of single molecules, in particular those with a longitudinal dipole moment. At the same time, ∞uorescent molecules can be exploited as point-like probes of the single vectorial components of the near fleld distribution at the probe apex, providing a powerful tool for near fleld probe characterization.