Open AccessHeterodyne detection of guided waves using a scattering-type Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscope
Author(s) -
Ilan Stéfa,
Sylvain Blaize,
Aurélien Bruyant,
S. Aubert,
Gilles Lérondel,
Renaud Bachelot,
Pascal Royer
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.005553
Subject(s) - optics , near field scanning optical microscope , near and far field , heterodyne detection , heterodyne (poetry) , scattering , physics , signal (programming language) , near field optics , field (mathematics) , light scattering , optical microscope , acoustics , laser , computer science , scanning electron microscope , mathematics , pure mathematics , programming language
An inherent problem to the study of waveguides with strong propagation losses by Scattering-type Scanning Near field Optical Microscopy is the coherent optical background field which disrupts strongly the weak detected near-field signal. We present a technique of heterodyne detection allowing us to overcome this difficulty while amplifying the near field signal. As illustrated in the case of a highly confined SOI structure, this technique, besides the amplitude, provides the local phase variation of the guided field. The knowledge of the complex field cartography leads to the modal analysis of the propagating radiation.