A.V.Luikov Heat and Mass Transfer Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus offers customers a scanning near-field optical microscope under a manufacturing agreement and is looking for partners to conclude a distribution services agreement.

A.V.Luikov Heat and Mass Transfer Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has developed a scanning near-field optical microscope (hereinafter referred to as SNOM), designed to study the structure and composition of the surfaces of optically opaque objects. SNOM provides the study of the surface of objects by optical microscopy with a resolution below the diffraction limit due to the detection of radiation scattered by the object under study at distances smaller than the wavelength of light.

To create a local spatial inhomogeneity of optical radiation with a characteristic size of 5 - 20 nm, the passage of radiation through an aperture with dimensions much smaller than the wavelength (the so-called aperture method) is used, or the use of a real nanoscale electric dipole - a quantum dot, or a metal nanoparticle, as a rule , with the effect of giant Raman scattering (the so-called apertureless method).

At large distances, only radiative modes are observed, and for radiation with a wavelength of 650 nm and a diaphragm with an aperture of up to 5 nm, the radiation power in the far zone is 10-10 of the incident radiation power. When evanescent radiation interacts with a nanosized object under study in the near field, part of the electromagnetic field energy is converted into radiative modes, which are recorded by an optical photodetector in the form of an optical radiation intensity distribution depending on the local optical properties of the nanosized sample (local values ​​of reflection, refraction, absorption and scattering of light).

The scanning system of the SSBOM-01 near-field optical microscope ensures the mutual movement of the probe and the sample in three dimensions X, Y, Z using a special positioner with piezo drives controlled by a specialized computer.

Composition of SBOM:
- scanning platform for nanodisplacements;
- microprocessor control unit of the scanning platform;
- fiber optic system;
- system of registration and restoration of images.

Main technical characteristics of SNOM:

scanning field in the XY plane	100х100 micron
measuring range of linear dimensions along the Z axis	50-100 nm
spectral range of detected radiation	480-680 nm
optical zoom	60X

The design of the SNOM uses a scheme for studying opaque samples for reflection, in which the probe is brought to the sample from above, and which is then recorded by a photodetector, which makes it possible to additionally implement the luminescent mode of operation with the detection of the object's luminescent radiation.

It is allowed to use a personal computer to control the drives using the USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 interface.

Consumers interested in purchasing a scanning near-field optical microscope under a manufacturing agreement.

Partners interested in concluding a distribution services agreement.