Near-field probes for sensitive detectorless near-field nanoscopy in the 2.0–4.6 THz range

Imaging and spectroscopy at terahertz (THz) frequencies have become key methods for fundamental studies across the physical sciences. With the emergence of nanoscale materials and devices, holding great promise for photonics, electronics, and communication technologies, the search for THz analysis at the nanoscale arises. Detectorless THz near-field nanoscopy emerged as a versatile method for hyperspectral mapping of light–matter interaction phenomena in bi-dimensional materials and systems. However, it is strongly limited by the weak scattering efficiencies of atomic force microscope (AFM) tips. Here, we experimentally evaluate the performance of unconventional AFM tip shapes to enhance the scattering efficiency, at three frequencies, namely, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.6 THz. The impact of tip geometry is corroborated by numerical simulations. The shorter shank length of the evaluated tips provides a very compelling alternative to commercial tips at frequencies >2 THz.