There are two major approaches for 3-D optical microscopy: far-field and
near-field imaging. Far-field methods rely on light diffraction from specimens
for image formation, and their resolution is thus limited by the wavelength of
visible light. Conventional light microscopy is a far-field technique. Near-field
methods utilize a solid mechanical probe to examine the specimen surface and
are not limited by the Abbe equation (see Chapter 2). The near-field optical
microscope, scanning tunneling microscope, and the atomic force microscope all
employ near-field optics. Near-field microscopy methods are slower, and there is
danger of mechanical damage to the specimen when compared to the far-field
techniques such as light microscopy.
Here we address the most popular ...