We describe a simple method of fabricating gold tips for tip-enhanced near-field optical microscopy using a single step direct current electrochemical etch. Smooth gold tips with a radius of curvature approximately 40 nm and with an aspect ratio suitable for shear force measurement have been produced in a few minutes. A detailed analysis of the etching process has enabled production of reproducible high quality tips. Near field images of single quantum dots using tips etched with this technique are shown.

Optical signals measured in apertureless scanning near field optical microscopy (ASNOM) under ambient conditions are found to be affected significantly by the thin water layer absorbed on the surface under investigation, the presence of which is detected through measurements of the shear force experienced by the tip. This water layer also results in a large hysteresis between optical signals measured during approach and withdrawal of the tip to the sample surface. The role of this effect in ASNOM is anticipated to be significant, with the possibility of resultant topographically induced artefacts for ASNOM involving intermittent contact of tip and sample, but also providing a potential mechanism for nanoscale optical resolution.

We report modifications to the optical properties of fluorophores in the vicinity of noble metal nanotips. The fluorescence from small clusters of quantum dots has been imaged using an apertureless scanning near-field optical microscope. When a sharp gold tip is brought close to the sample surface, a strong distancedependent enhancement of the quantum dot fluorescence is observed, leading to a simultaneous increase in optical resolution. These results are consistent with simulations of the electric field and fluorescence enhancement near plasmonic nanostructures. Highly ordered periodic arrays of silver nanotips have been fabricated by nanosphere lithography. Using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, we have created high-resolution spatial maps of the lifetime components of vicinal fluorophores; these show an order of magnitude increase in decay rate from a localized volume around the nanotips, resulting in a commensurate enhancement in the fluorescence emission intensity. Spatial maps of the Raman scattering signal from molecules on the nanotips shows an enhancement of more than five orders of magnitude.Keywords scanning near-field optical microscopy · ASNOM · fluorescence lifetime imaging · FLIM · plasmon · nanoparticle · Raman · SERS

New immersed grating technology is needed particularly for use in imaging spectrometers that will be used in sensing the atmosphere O 2 A spectral band (750nm -775 nm) at spectral resolution in the order of 0.1 nm whilst ensuring a high efficiency and maintaining low stray light.In this work, the efficiency, dispersion and stray light performance of an immersed grating are tested and compared to analytical models. The grating consists of an ion-beam etched grating in a fused-silica substrate of 120 mm x 120mm immersed on to a prism of the same material. It is designed to obtain dispersions > 0.30°/nm -1 in air and >70% efficiency. The optical performance of the immersed grating is modelled and methods to measure its wavefront, efficiency, dispersion and scattered radiance are described. The optical setup allows the measurement of an 80mm beam diameter to derive the bidirectional scatter distribution function (BSDF) from the immersed grating from a minimum angle of 0.1° from the diffracted beam with angular resolution of 0.05°. Different configurations of the setup allow the efficiency and dispersion measurements using a tuneable laser in the 750nm-775nm range. The results from the tests are discussed with the suitability of the immersed gratings in mind for future space based instruments for atmospheric monitoring.