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Modeling The Optical Response To A Near-Field Probe Tip From A Generalized Multilayer Thin Film, A.J. Lawrence

Dissertations and Theses

The contrast mechanism in Kerr imaging is the apparent angle through which the plane of polarization is rotated upon reflection from a magnetic surface. This can be calculated for a well characterized surface given the polarization state of the incident light. As in traditional optical microscopy, the spatial resolution is limited by diffraction to roughly half the wavelength of the illumination light.

The diffraction limit can be circumvented through the use of near-field scanning optical microscopy, in which the illumination source is an evanescent field at the tip of a tapered optical fiber. A novel probe design for near-field optical …