The effect of field component perpendicular to the surface (longitudinal fields) on the photo-induced molecular
migration and surface deformations in azobenzene polymer films are investigated. Case of tip-enhanced near-field
illumination of the polymer surface is first discussed. In order to rule out the possible influence of mechanical
interaction between tip and polymer, tightly focused higher-order laser beams are then used. We demonstrate
that the surface topography is principally induced by longitudinal fields. Our findings can be explained by the
translational diffusion of isomerized chromophores when the constraining effect of the polymer-air interface is
considered.
The surface plasmons of metal films and nanostructures are increasingly well-known for applications in sensor technologies and photonics applications. Their potential is largely due to the plasmons' characteristic as an interface phenomenon and the generation of an optical near-field at the interface. In many cases, the spatial dimensions of the near-field lie significantly below the diffraction limit of conventional optics in at least one dimension. This requires novel methods means for imaging their spatial profile and propagation properties. We present recent methods ongoing in our laboratory for imaging plasmonic features of metal nanostructures
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