Anisotropy contrast in phonon-enhanced apertureless near-field microscopy using a free-electron laser

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • S. C. Kehr - , Chair of Experimental Physics / Photophysics, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • M. Cebula - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • O. Mieth - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • T. Härtling - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • J. Seidel - , TUD Dresden University of Technology, University of California at Berkeley (Author)
  • S. Grafström - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • L. M. Eng - , Chair of Experimental Physics / Photophysics, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • S. Winnerl - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) (Author)
  • D. Stehr - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) (Author)
  • M. Helm - , Chair of Semiconductor Spectroscopy, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) (Author)

Abstract

We demonstrate the imaging of ferroelectric domains in BaTiO3, using an infrared-emitting free-electron laser as a tunable optical source for scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy and spectroscopy. When the laser is tuned into the spectral vicinity of a phonon resonance, ferroelectric domains can be resolved due to the anisotropy of the dielectric properties of the material. Slight detuning of the wavelength gives rise to a contrast reversal clearly evidencing the resonant character of the excitation. The near-field domain contrast shows that the orientation of the dielectric tensor with respect to the sample surface has a clear influence on the near-field signal.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number256403
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume100
Issue number25
Publication statusPublished - 24 Jun 2008
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-2484-4158/work/175744057

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas