Development of s-SNOM Technology to Enable AFMs Perform sub-30nm IR Spectroscopy and Imaging

Scanning Probe Microscopy, SPM, is a strategically vital tool for nanotechnology research, a 250 million dollars per year industry essential to such multibillion-dollar downstream industries as materials and pharmaceuticals. However, the single biggest drawback to SPM is its inability to obtain any chemical information on its samples. This drawback impacts DOE researchers in the Genome to Life program and corporate researchers in chemicals and pharmaceuticals. This project will develop a novel detection scheme that, together with two other proprietary ideas, promises to solve the major problems that have prevented scattering Scanning Near Field Optical Microscopy technology from becoming a commercially feasible solution. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: Besides enabling the 60 percent of SPM users in Materials Research for whom chemical information on their samples is critical, the technology should enable SPMs to penetrate new markets such as life sciences and disease screening, where lack of chemical information is a major bottleneck