Photon scanning tunnelling microscopy

Definition: A type of microscopy where the specimen is illuminated with a near-field of photons. An image of the surface is obtained by mechanically moving an optical fibre probe in a raster scan over the specimen, line by line, and detecting any photons which tunnel from the specimen to the probe as a function of position. A feedback loop is used to maintain a fixed relationship between the optical fibre probe and surface during scanning.

ID: CMO:0000119

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More about the RSC Chemical Methods Ontology (CMO)