| 摘要 |
<p>A dark-field imaging system and method is disclosed that employs photon tunneling to visualize and measure submicron features of reflecting or transmissive materials within the subnanometer-to-several-micron range. The system comprises an illumination section for providing an evanescent field, where the evanescent field is selectively scattered by the surface of the reflecting or transmissive material, and a collection section for transmitting the radiant energy produced by the evanescent field scattering to an imaging section, which may may be a vidicon, digital camera, or other photo detector device. Various embodiments are disclosed including the use of a bulk optic prismatic element, the forward aplantic element of a compound microscope objective, diffracting gratings, and optical waveguides. In each embodiment the collection section and illumination section may be completely optically, and thus physically, uncoupled.</p> |
