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Visualizing electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale by single molecule localization.


Type

Article

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Authors

Steuwe, Christian 
Erdelyi, Miklos 
Szekeres, G 
Csete, M 
Baumberg, Jeremy J 

Abstract

Coupling of light to the free electrons at metallic surfaces allows the confinement of electric fields to subwavelength dimensions, far below the optical diffraction limit. While this is routinely used to manipulate light at the nanoscale, in electro-optic devices and enhanced spectroscopic techniques, no characterization technique for imaging the underlying nanoscopic electromagnetic fields exists, which does not perturb the field or employ complex electron beam imaging. Here, we demonstrate the direct visualization of electromagnetic fields on patterned metallic substrates at nanometer resolution, exploiting a strong "autonomous" fluorescence-blinking behavior of single molecules within the confined fields allowing their localization. Use of DNA-constructs for precise positioning of fluorescence dyes on the surface induces this distance-dependent autonomous blinking thus completely obviating the need for exogenous agents or switching methods. Mapping such electromagnetic field distributions at nanometer resolution aids the rational design of nanometals for diverse photonic applications.

Description

Keywords

Super-resolution, nanostructures, plasmons, single molecule localization, surface-enhanced, DNA, Electromagnetic Fields, Electrons, Fluorescent Dyes, Light, Nanostructures, Nanotechnology, Optics and Photonics, Surface Properties

Journal Title

Nano Lett

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1530-6984
1530-6992

Volume Title

15

Publisher

American Chemical Society (ACS)
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G060649/1)
Medical Research Council (MR/K015850/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K028510/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L027151/1)
European Research Council (320503)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/H028757/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L015889/1)
We acknowledge financial support from EPSRC grant EP/G060649/1, EP/H028757/1-2, EP/I012060/1, EP/L015889/1, MRC grant MR/K015850/1 and ERC grant LINASS 320503.