Using electrons as a high-resolution probe of optical modes in individual nanowires

Ilke Arslan; Jerome K Hyun; Rolf Erni; Michael N Fairchild; Stephen D Hersee; David A Muller

doi:10.1021/nl902266n

Using electrons as a high-resolution probe of optical modes in individual nanowires

Nano Lett. 2009 Dec;9(12):4073-7. doi: 10.1021/nl902266n.

Authors

Ilke Arslan¹, Jerome K Hyun, Rolf Erni, Michael N Fairchild, Stephen D Hersee, David A Muller

Affiliation

¹ Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA. iarslan@ucdavis.edu

PMID: 19835353
DOI: 10.1021/nl902266n

Abstract

While nanowires show increasing promise for optoelectronic applications, probing the subwavelength details of their optical modes has been a challenge with light-based techniques. Here we report the excitation of dielectric optical waveguide modes in a single GaN nanowire using transition radiation generated by a 1 nm diameter electron beam. This spatially resolved study opens important gateways to probing the optical modes of more complex nanostructures, fundamental for optimization of optoelectronic device performance.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Computer Simulation
Electrons
Light
Models, Chemical*
Nanostructures / chemistry*
Nanostructures / radiation effects*
Nanostructures / ultrastructure
Nanotechnology / methods*
Particle Size