Meta-instrument: high speed positioning and tracking platform for near-field optical imaging microscopes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a high-speed, high-precision positioning platform for near-field optical microscopes, enabling high-resolution imaging with industrial applicability by pairing advanced optical concepts with a miniaturized, fast mechatronic system.

Contribution

The paper presents two innovative designs of a nano-positioning platform achieving sub-nanometer accuracy at 100 kHz bandwidth, advancing near-field optical imaging technology.

Findings

Achieved sub-nanometer positional precision.

Demonstrated 100 kHz operational bandwidth.

Validated platform's potential for industrial applications.

Abstract

High resolution and high throughput imaging are typically mutually exclusive. The meta-instrument pairs high resolution optical concepts such as nano-antennas, superoscillatory lenses and hyperlenses with a miniaturized opto-mechatronic platform for precise and high speed positioning of the optical elements at lens-to-sample separations that are measured in tens of nanometers. Such platform is a necessary development for bringing near-field optical imaging techniques to their industrial application. Towards this purpose, we present two designs and proof-of-principle instruments that are aimed at realizing sub-nanometer positional precision with a 100 kHz bandwidth.