MRI: Development of an Apertureless Near-Field Scanning Optical and Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect Microscope for Nano-Science Applications

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This Major Research Instrumentation award supports Cornell University with the development of a unique optical microscope that can ?see? nanoscale features due to contrast in light reflection, absorption and emission in the far infrared as well as deep ultraviolet. This microscope achieves the high spatial resolution using a scanning probe of a nanometer scale and the greatly augmented optical field near this probe. It achieves high fidelity data with desired signal-noise ratio by locating the key components inside a vacuum environment. During the stage of its development, various research groups contributes to its design and testing by imaging a variety of semiconducting and multifunctional samples, which will also involve undergraduate students, K-12 students and teachers. Upon completion, the instrument will be made available to all interested users. ******This Major Research Instrumentation award supports Cornell University with the development of a vacuum based apertureless near-field scanning optical (ANSOM) and magneto-optical Kerr effect microscope for nano-science applications. The instrument inherits the advantage of both an NSOM and a vacuum platform. Other critical features that set it apart from commercially available systems include its super broadband optical range as well as a wide window of temperature control. ANSOM in air has been rather widely applied to investigate electronic and optical properties of nanoscale materials, however, it suffers from water contamination and noise from the ambient. In vacuum, a few orders of magnitude improvement in the detection of electrical and magnetic forces and a clean environment are expected. Vacuum ANSOM will be developed and applied to semiconductor wire/dot emission intermittency, polariton science and lasing, nano-scale magneto-optical Kerr effects and more. This instrument development necessitates collaboration among multiple research groups at Cornell University. Various projects will be designed to actively engage graduate students, undergraduate students, K12 students and teachers throughout the duration of the project. Upon completion of the development phase, the instrument will be made available through a shared facilities platform, where a broader range of users can benefit from its unique capabilities.