Infrared scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy using an external cavity quantum cascade laser for nanoscale chemical imaging and spectroscopy of explosive residues

Ian M. Craig; Mark C. Phillips; Matthew S. Taubman; Erik E. Josberger; Markus B. Raschke

doi:10.1117/12.2004954

4 February 2013 Infrared scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy using an external cavity quantum cascade laser for nanoscale chemical imaging and spectroscopy of explosive residues

Ian M. Craig, Mark C. Phillips, Matthew S. Taubman, Erik E. Josberger, Markus B. Raschke

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8631, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices X; 863110 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2004954
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2013, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Infrared scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) is an apertureless superfocusing technique that uses the antenna properties of a conducting atomic force microscope (AFM) tip to achieve infrared spatial resolution below the diffraction limit. The instrument can be used either in imaging mode, where a fixed wavelength light source is tuned to a molecular resonance and the AFM raster scans an image, or in spectroscopy mode where the AFM is held stationary over a feature of interest and the light frequency is varied to obtain a spectrum. In either case, a strong, stable, coherent infrared source is required. Here we demonstrate the integration of a broadly tunable external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) into an s-SNOM and use it to obtain infrared spectra of microcrystals of chemicals adsorbed onto gold substrates. Residues of the explosive compound tetryl was deposited onto gold substrates. s-SNOM experiments were performed in the 1260-1400cm^-1 tuning range of the ECQCL, corresponding to the N0₂ symmetric stretch vibrational fingerprint region. Vibrational infrared spectra were collected on individual chemical domains with a collection area of ~500 nm² and compared to ensemble averaged far-field reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) results.

Citation Download Citation

Ian M. Craig, Mark C. Phillips, Matthew S. Taubman, Erik E. Josberger, and Markus B. Raschke "Infrared scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy using an external cavity quantum cascade laser for nanoscale chemical imaging and spectroscopy of explosive residues", Proc. SPIE 8631, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices X, 863110 (4 February 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2004954

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