Systems, apparatuses, and methods for realizing a peak-force scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (PF-SNOM). Conventional scattering-type microscopy (s-SNOM) techniques uses tapping mode operation and lock-in detections that do not provide direct tomographic information with explicit tip-sample distance. Using a peak force scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy with a combination of peak force tapping mode and time-gated light detection, PF-SNOM enables direct sectioning of vertical near-field signals from a sample surface for both three-dimensional near-field imaging and spectroscopic analysis. PF-SNOM also delivers a spatial resolution of 5 nm and can simultaneously measure mechanical and electrical properties together with optical near-field signals.

A near-field scanning probe includes: a measurement probe that relatively scans a test sample; an excitation light irradiation system; a near-field light generation system that generates near-field light in a region including the measurement probe in response to irradiation with excitation light from the excitation light irradiation system; and a scattered light detection system that detects Rayleigh scattering and Ramen scattered light of the near-field light from the sample, generated between the measurement probe and the sample, and the near-field scanning probe is characterized in that the near-field light generation system includes a cantilever with a chip coated with a noble metal, and a tip of the chip is provided with a thin wire group including a plurality of carbon nanowires with a noble metal provided at ends thereof.

A near-field scanning probe includes: a measurement probe that relatively scans a test sample; an excitation light irradiation system; a near-field light generation system that generates near-field light in a region including the measurement probe in response to irradiation with excitation light from the excitation light irradiation system; and a scattered light detection system that detects Rayleigh scattering and Ramen scattered light of the near-field light from the sample, generated between the measurement probe and the sample, and the near-field scanning probe is characterized in that the near-field light generation system includes a cantilever with a chip coated with a noble metal, and a tip of the chip is provided with a thin wire group including a plurality of carbon nanowires with a noble metal provided at ends thereof.

A calibration apparatus for a tip-enhanced Raman microscope includes a substrate; a two-dimensional Raman scatterer that is mounted on an upper surface of the substrate; and a well-defined topographic structure that is formed at the upper surface of the substrate. The topographic structure may include convex geometric shapes such as triangles and squares arranged in one or more periodic lattices. Calibration is via adjusting a focal length of a laser beam until a signal from a spectrometer repeatedly exhibits a stepped response when a focal point of the laser beam traverses an edge of a two-dimensional Raman scatterer, then adjusting the relative lateral positions of a scanning probe microscope probe tip and the focal point until the signal from the spectrometer and a signal from the scanning probe microscope repeatedly change within an acceptable time delay while the focal point and the probe tip traverse edges of the topographic structure.

A calibration apparatus for a tip-enhanced Raman microscope includes a substrate; a two-dimensional Raman scatterer that is mounted on an upper surface of the substrate; and a well-defined topographic structure that is formed at the upper surface of the substrate. The topographic structure may include convex geometric shapes such as triangles and squares arranged in one or more periodic lattices. Calibration is via adjusting a focal length of a laser beam until a signal from a spectrometer repeatedly exhibits a stepped response when a focal point of the laser beam traverses an edge of a two-dimensional Raman scatterer, then adjusting the relative lateral positions of a scanning probe microscope probe tip and the focal point until the signal from the spectrometer and a signal from the scanning probe microscope repeatedly change within an acceptable time delay while the focal point and the probe tip traverse edges of the topographic structure.

A calibration apparatus for a tip-enhanced Raman microscope includes a substrate; a two-dimensional Raman scatterer that is mounted on an upper surface of the substrate; and a well-defined topographic structure that is formed at the upper surface of the substrate. The topographic structure may include convex geometric shapes such as triangles and squares arranged in one or more periodic lattices. Calibration is via adjusting a focal length of a laser beam until a signal from a spectrometer repeatedly exhibits a stepped response when a focal point of the laser beam traverses an edge of a two-dimensional Raman scatterer, then adjusting the relative lateral positions of a scanning probe microscope probe tip and the focal point until the signal from the spectrometer and a signal from the scanning probe microscope repeatedly change within an acceptable time delay while the focal point and the probe tip traverse edges of the topographic structure.

A calibration apparatus for a tip-enhanced Raman microscope includes a substrate; a two-dimensional Raman scatterer that is mounted on an upper surface of the substrate; and a well-defined topographic structure that is formed at the upper surface of the substrate. The topographic structure may include convex geometric shapes such as triangles and squares arranged in one or more periodic lattices. Calibration is via adjusting a focal length of a laser beam until a signal from a spectrometer repeatedly exhibits a stepped response when a focal point of the laser beam traverses an edge of a two-dimensional Raman scatterer, then adjusting the relative lateral positions of a scanning probe microscope probe tip and the focal point until the signal from the spectrometer and a signal from the scanning probe microscope repeatedly change within an acceptable time delay while the focal point and the probe tip traverse edges of the topographic structure.

A near-field scanning probe includes: a measurement probe that relatively scans a test sample; an excitation light irradiation system; a near-field light generation system that generates near-field light in a region including the measurement probe in response to irradiation with excitation light from the excitation light irradiation system; and a scattered light detection system that detects Rayleigh scattering and Ramen scattered light of the near-field light from the sample, generated between the measurement probe and the sample, and the near-field scanning probe is characterized in that the near-field light generation system includes a cantilever with a chip coated with a noble metal, and a tip of the chip is provided with a thin wire group including a plurality of carbon nanowires with a noble metal provided at ends thereof.

A near-field scanning probe includes: a measurement probe that relatively scans a test sample; an excitation light irradiation system; a near-field light generation system that generates near-field light in a region including the measurement probe in response to irradiation with excitation light from the excitation light irradiation system; and a scattered light detection system that detects Rayleigh scattering and Ramen scattered light of the near-field light from the sample, generated between the measurement probe and the sample, and the near-field scanning probe is characterized in that the near-field light generation system includes a cantilever with a chip coated with a noble metal, and a tip of the chip is provided with a thin wire group including a plurality of carbon nanowires with a noble metal provided at ends thereof.

Systems and methods may be provided for measuring an infrared absorption of a sub micrometer region of a sample. An Infrared light source may illuminate a sample in a region that is interacting with the tip of a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM), stimulating the sample in a way that produces measurable optical properties related to Infrared absorption of the sample region. A probe light source is directed at the region of the sample and SPM tip, and probe light emanating from the tip and sample region is collected. The collected light may be used to derive infrared absorption spectrum information of the sample region, possibly on a sub-micron scale.