THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION OF NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF TAPEREDFIBER TIPS AND SINGLE-MOLECULE FLUORESCENCE

We investigate herein the propagation and tunneling of monochromatic l ight through a tapered fiber tip, modeled as a tapered perfectly condu cting waveguide. The opening aperture of the waveguide is much smaller than the wavelength of light. The transmission rate through the tip a s well as the profiles of electric fields are obtained. A detailed for mulation for calculating the fluorescent spectra of a single molecule under near-held excitation is also presented. In addition, the limitat ions of fluorescence measurement for obtaining near-field pattern is d iscussed on the basis of the present formulation. (C) 1997 American In stitute of Physics.