Optical Near-Field Electron Microscopy
Abstract
Imaging dynamical processes at interfaces and on the nanoscale is of great importance throughout science and technology. While light-optical imaging techniques often cannot provide the necessary spatial resolution, electron-optical techniques damage the specimen and cause dose-induced artefacts. Here, Optical Near-field Electron Microscopy (ONEM) is proposed, an imaging technique that combines non-invasive probing with light, with a high spatial resolution read-out via electron optics. Close to the specimen, the optical near-fields are converted into a spatially varying electron flux using a planar photocathode. The electron flux is imaged using low energy electron microscopy, enabling label-free nanometric resolution without the need to scan a probe across the sample. The specimen is never exposed to damaging electrons.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2102.13010,
title = {Optical Near-Field Electron Microscopy},
author = {Raphaël Marchand and Radek Šachl and Martin Kalbáč and Martin Hof and Rudolf Tromp and Mariana Amaro and Sense J. van der Molen and Thomas Juffmann},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2102.13010},
year = {2021}
}