Tip-enhanced Electron Emission Microscopy Coupled with the Femtosecond Laser Pulse

Abstract

The ultrashort electron pulse, laser-emitted from the metal tip apex has been characterized and used as a probing source for a new electron microscope to visualize the morphology of the gold-mesh in the nanometric resolution. As the gap between the tungsten tip and Au-surface is approached within a few nm, the large electromagnetic field enhancement for the incident P-polarized laser pulse with respect to the tip-sample axis is strongly observed. Here, we demonstrate that the time-resolved tip-enhanced electron emission microscope (TEEM) can be implemented on the laboratory table top to give the two-dimensional image, opening lots of challenges and opportunities in the near future.