With the aim of analyzing the properties of the waves that are scattered by nanoslits on metallic surfaces, we provide a direct observation of the near-field in a slit-doublet experiment at optical wavelengths. We show that two distinct waves are involved: a surface plasmon polariton and another wave with a free-space character. From the recorded data, we have extracted the amplitudes and phases of these waves, their damping characteristic lengths and their relative weights as a function of the separation distance from the slit. The analysis is fully supported by a quantitative agreement with vector-theory computational results.

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We have developed a scanning near-field optical microscope that uses a subwavelength-sized silica sphere covered with CdSe∕ZnS quantum dots as a fluorescent optical detector. Due to the good photostability of these semiconducting particles, we are routinely able to perform several successive scans without a noticeable decrease of fluorescence signals. As an example, we will show some images of the light immediately transmitted through 300nm wide slits made in a thin gold film. We will also discuss the advantages of such fluorescent probes compared to other near-field optical techniques.