Nanometer-resolved in situ observation of surface plasmons based on enhanced electron emission

2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23651121
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nanomaterials/Nanobioscience
• Research Institution: National Institute for Materials Science
• Principal Investigator: MIYAZAKI Hideki 独立行政法人物質・材料研究機構, 先端フォトニクス材料ユニット, グループリーダー (10262114)
• Project Period (FY): 2011 – 2012
• Keywords: ナノ計測 / 電子顕微鏡 / 光物性 / 表面・界面物性 / 可視化

Research Abstract

We have tackled the development of a novel microscopy to visualize surface plasmon intensity on a metal surface with nanometeric resolution on the basis of the secondary electron emission enhancement effect. An optical system, in which surface plasmon is excited on a metal thin film deposited on a prism by laser light supplied from outside, was constructed in the specimen chamber of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Intensity change in the SEM image corresponding to the laser power was observed.