Corrugated probe for SNOM - Optimization of energy throughput via   plasmon excitation
  In a previous paper we proposed a modification of metal-coated tapered-fibre aperture probes for scanning near-field optical microscopes. The modification consists of radial corrugations of the metal-dielectric interface oriented inward the core. Their purpose is to facilitate the excitation of propagating surface plasmons, which increase the transport of energy beyond the cut-off diameter and radiate a quasi-dipolar field from the probe output rim. An increase in energy output allows for reduction of the apex diameter, which is the main factor determining the resolution of the microscope. In FDTD simulations we analyse the performance of the new type to SNOM probe. We aim at achieving of maximum energy throughput in probes with corrugations that may be realized in a glass etching process. 
Tomasz J. Antosiewicz, Tomasz Szoplik