A Near-Field Scanning, Phase-Contrast Microscope

这项拨款为近场扫描光学显微镜（NSOM）的开发提供资金，该显微镜利用独特的相衬机制。可商用的标准NSOM允许可见光显微镜的范围扩展到通常为电子显微镜保留的纳米空间分辨率范围。然而，与电子显微镜不同的是，NSOM可以在自然环境（即液体和环境压力）下对样品进行成像，并且可以在获得强度图像的同时获得扫描力表面轮廓。NSOM利用了与传统远场方法相同的对比机制（即荧光、透射、偏振、光谱学、反射率和相位）。这里提出的仪器将标准的NSOM操作与纯相位成像相结合，提供一种新的可量化的NSOM相衬测量仪器，适用于各种微、中尺度设备的测量。在分子或近分子尺度上测量物体在许多学科中变得越来越重要。这些对象的范围从工程表面，如光盘、磁盘、集成电路、钻石转向光学到铂的催化阵列、DNA分子、细胞生物学和晶体中的纳米级缺陷。远场相显微镜是目前所有这些领域的主要分析方法。该项目的成功将相显微镜技术扩展到纳米领域。在这项工作中要研究的特定系统包括生物细胞、光刻胶掩膜和光纤。半导体产业路线图要求70纳米线宽，这是目前光学方法无法量化测量的。此外，随着光纤行业的快速发展，50纳米分辨率光纤折射率曲线的测定将有助于制造商进行光纤设计和质量控制过程。结合对更高空间分辨率分析工具的需求，这个特殊项目的成功将对许多学科有价值。

This grant provides funding for the development of a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) which utilizes a unique phase-contrast mechanism. The standard NSOM, available commercially, has allowed the range of visible light microscopy to be extended into the nanometer range of spatial resolution normally reserved for electron microscopes. However, unlike the electron microscope, an NSOM can image specimens in their natural environment (i.e., liquids and ambient pressures) and can obtain scanning force surface profiles simultaneous with intensity images. An NSOM takes advantage of the same contrast mechanisms available to conventional far-field methods (i.e., fluorescence, transmission, polarization, spectroscopy, reflectivity, and phase). The instrument proposed here would combine standard NSOM operation with pure phase imaging to provide a novel quantifiable NSOM phase-contrast measuring instrument useful for the metrology of a broad range of micro and meso scale devices.Measurement of objects at a molecular or near molecular scale is becoming increasingly important in many disciplines. These objects range from engineering surfaces, such as optical discs, magnetic disks, integrated circuits, and diamond turned optics to catalytic arrays of platinum, DNA molecules, cell biology, and nanoscale flaws in crystals. Far-field phase microscopy is currently a workhorse method of analysis in all of these areas. Success of this project will extend phase microscopy into the nanometer region. Particular systems to be studied in this work include biological cells, photoresist masks, and optical fibers. The semiconductor industry roadmap calls for 70-nm linewidths, which cannot be quantifiably measured with current optical methods. In addition, with the rapid growth of the optical fiber industry, determination of index of refraction profiles of optical fibers with 50-nm resolution will help manufacturers with fiber design and quality control processes. Combined with the need for higher spatial resolution analytical tools, success of this particular project will be of value to many disciplines.