Near-field infrared investigations of an arm-terminated spiral structure with bow-tie probe

Abstract

A detailed analysis of micro-and nanoantennas is crucial for enhancing the performance of photodetectors in the mid-and far-infrared (IR) region. In contrast to the rapid progress in IR detectors based on nanodevices, the local nanoscale properties of antennas for the purpose of near-field coupling with these detectors have not been well investigated. In this work, we fabricated and studied a logarithm-spiral (log-spiral) antenna with an arm termination, which was designed as a low-loss, wide-band antenna for highly efficient near-field interaction with nanoscale IR detectors. By using a scattering-type near-field optical microscope (s-SNOM) combined with a highly stable quantum cascade laser, we observed a nanoscale spatial distribution of amplitudes generated via IR illumination on the antenna surface. Experimental and simulated results revealed a clear dependence on IR-light polarization corresponding to the rotationally symmetric structure of the spiral antenna. Furthermore, phase mapping measurements indicated a π reversal of the out-of-plane phase between two adjacent antenna probes regardless of polarization direction, providing a possibility of efficient near-field coupling with nanoscale detectors. These results demonstrate that s-SNOM imaging offers a powerful tool for gaining useful information regarding mutual coupling between optical antennas and nanostructures.