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Presentation | Nano-optics | AFM and related microscopy
Research activity This article is no longer updated since september 2007. For a recent update, please go the Néel Institute ! Our research is devoted to:
1) the applications of near-field optics to high spatial resolution studies and optical addressing experiments of single nano-objets such as single quantum dots. An increasing part of our research is targeted at developing novel active probes with single semiconductor nanocrystals or insulating nanoparticles. Several Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopes (NSOM) have been built to achieve these goals, including one working at low temperature (4.2 K) and a dual confocal-NSOM microscope working in ambient conditions.
2) the applications of Electric-Force Microscopy (EFM) to the low-temperature (down to 2 K) studies of semiconductor nanostructures in a magnetic field up to 11 T, with the goal of either injecting and detecting electric charges - down to a single electron - or imaging quantum transport in suitable structures. In the last studies, the electrically-polarized tip of the AFM is used as an adjustable gate to couple locally to the electronic system. Such a Scanning-Gate Microscopy (SGM) when applied to the archetype of electron interferometer, namely a quantum ring subjected to the Aharonov-Bohm effect, allows for a clear real-space visualization of ballistic and coherent contributions to the quantum transport.
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visitors since 24/04/01.
Last updated september 2007 by Serge Huant.