The purpose of the present invention is to control, with a simple structure and high accuracy, irradiation of excitation light to a multi-nanopore substrate without interrupting a measurement. Irradiation of excitation light is performed concurrently to at least one nanopore and at least one reference object on a substrate mounted in an observation container 103. A position irradiated with the excitation light in a measurement sample is calculated on the basis of a signal generated from the reference object detected by a detector 109, and the measurement and a fixed position control is performed concurrently by performing measurement of the measurement object while a drive control part 115 controlling the position of the irradiation of the excitation light to the measurement sample on the basis of the calculation result, whereby an analysis of the measurement sample can be performed in a short time.

The purpose of the present invention is to control, with a simple structure and high accuracy, irradiation of excitation light to a multi-nanopore substrate without interrupting a measurement. Irradiation of excitation light is performed concurrently to at least one nanopore and at least one reference object on a substrate mounted in an observation container 103. A position irradiated with the excitation light in a measurement sample is calculated on the basis of a signal generated from the reference object detected by a detector 109, and the measurement and a fixed position control is performed concurrently by performing measurement of the measurement object while a drive control part 115 controlling the position of the irradiation of the excitation light to the measurement sample on the basis of the calculation result, whereby an analysis of the measurement sample can be performed in a short time.

A device for the imaging of an object to be studied, combines: a prism made from a material with no losses (non-absorbent) for radiation in the microwave range; a sample holder on a front face of the prism for receiving the object to be studied; and a mobile emitting antenna on a rear face of the prism in order to emit radiation in the microwave range.

A device for the imaging of an object to be studied, combines: a prism made from a material with no losses (non-absorbent) for radiation in the microwave range; a sample holder on a front face of the prism for receiving the object to be studied; and a mobile emitting antenna on a rear face of the prism in order to emit radiation in the microwave range.

The invention relates to an active probe for near-field optical microscopy, characterized in that it includes a metal or metallized tip (PM) at the apex of which a nanoscale body (NB) is located, the body having a polymer matrix capable of, or containing a host (MH) capable of, emitting under illumination, light (SH) at a wavelength different from that of the illumination. A process for manufacturing such a probe is also provided.

The invention relates to an active probe for near-field optical microscopy, characterized in that it includes a metal or metallized tip (PM) at the apex of which a nanoscale body (NB) is located, the body having a polymer matrix capable of, or containing a host (MH) capable of, emitting under illumination, light (SH) at a wavelength different from that of the illumination. A process for manufacturing such a probe is also provided.

System and method for optical alignment of a near-field system, employing reiterative analysis of amplitude (irradiance) and phase maps of irradiated field obtained in back-scattered light while adjusting the system to arrive at field pattern indicative of and sensitive to a near-field optical wave produced by diffraction-limited irradiation of a tip of the near-field system. Demodulation of optical data representing such maps is carried out at different harmonics of probe-vibration frequency. Embodiments are operationally compatible with methodology of chemical nano-identification of sample utilizing normalized near-field spectroscopy, and may utilize suppression of background contribution to collected data based on judicious coordination of data acquisition with motion of the tip. Such coordination may be defined without knowledge of separation between the tip and sample. Computer program product with instructions effectuating the method and operation of the system.

System and method for optical alignment of a near-field system, employing reiterative analysis of amplitude (irradiance) and phase maps of irradiated field obtained in back-scattered light while adjusting the system to arrive at field pattern indicative of and sensitive to a near-field optical wave produced by diffraction-limited irradiation of a tip of the near-field system. Demodulation of optical data representing such maps is carried out at different harmonics of probe-vibration frequency. Embodiments are operationally compatible with methodology of chemical nano-identification of sample utilizing normalized near-field spectroscopy, and may utilize suppression of background contribution to collected data based on judicious coordination of data acquisition with motion of the tip. Such coordination may be defined without knowledge of separation between the tip and sample. Computer program product with instructions effectuating the method and operation of the system.

This invention involves measurement of optical properties of materials with sub-micron spatial resolution through infrared scattering scanning near field optical microscopy (s-SNOM). Specifically, the current invention provides substantial improvements over the prior art by achieving high signal to noise, high measurement speed and high accuracy of optical amplitude and phase. Additionally, it some embodiments, it eliminates the need for an in situ reference to calculate wavelength dependent spectra of optical phase, or absorption spectra. These goals are achieved via improved asymmetric interferometry where the near-field scattered light is interfered with a reference beam in an interferometer. The invention achieves dramatic improvements in background rejection by arranging a reference beam that is much more intense than the background scattered radiation. Combined with frequency selective demodulation techniques, the near-field scattered light can be efficiently and accurately discriminated from background scattered light. These goals are achieved via a range of improvements including a large dynamic range detector, careful control of relative beam intensities, and high bandwidth demodulation techniques. In other embodiments, phase and amplitude stability are improved with a novel s-SNOM configuration. In other embodiments an absorption spectrum may be obtained directly by comparing properties from a known and unknown region of a sample as a function of illumination center wavelength.

Many embodiments provide a high frequency near-field probe based on a tapered waveguide combined with at least one optically-pumped high frequency radiation source and at least one optically-probed high frequency radiation detector.