Scanning probe techniques have transformed our ability to study materials at the atomic scale, providing atom-by-atom views of surfaces. Tip-enhanced molecular fluorescence microscopy combines scanning probes with optical fluorescence. Such optical techniques normally have spatial resolution limited by the wavelength of the light used. However, using the scanning tip itself as a nanoscale optical antenna confines the electromagnetic field to the tip apex, achieving superresolution down to the atomic scale. Fluorescence is a fundamental probe of materials that reveals electronic structure and vibronic properties by exciting electrons to higher levels and observing the photons emitted when they relax. These capabilities are of particular interest for studying and identifying molecules, submolecular structures, and their reactions. This review discusses the techniques of tip-enhanced molecular fluorescence microscopy and the new insights they have revealed.
From the article:
Tip-enhanced molecular fluorescence microscopy with atomic-scale resolutionAnna Rosławska, Katharina Kaiser, Sofia Canola, Song Jiang, Fabrice Scheurer, Javier Aizpurua, Tomáš Neuman, and Guillaume Schull
Rev. Mod. Phys. 98, 025007 (2026)
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