A hybrid instrument combining electronic and photonic tunnelling for surface analysis

Abstract A PSTM working in the collection mode and based on an STM probe–sample regulation scheme has been developed. This original hybrid instrument for surface analysis uses apertureless metal-coated chemically etched optical fibres. The use of an electronic tunnelling-based feedback loop significantly reduces tip–sample distance and leads to the collection of a high level near-field optical (NFO) signal. A simple amplified photodiode is thus used to perform optical signal acquisition and to draw electromagnetic field maps of sample surfaces. Experimental results on nanostructured gold surfaces are presented.