Print Email Facebook Twitter Time-resolved cathodoluminescence microscopy with sub-nanosecond beam blanking for direct evaluation of the local density of states Title Time-resolved cathodoluminescence microscopy with sub-nanosecond beam blanking for direct evaluation of the local density of states Author Moerland, R.J. (TU Delft ImPhys/Quantitative Imaging) Weppelman, I.G.C. (TU Delft ImPhys/Charged Particle Optics) Garming, M.W.H. (TU Delft ImPhys/Charged Particle Optics) Kruit, P. (TU Delft ImPhys/Charged Particle Optics) Hoogenboom, J.P. (TU Delft ImPhys/Charged Particle Optics) Date 2016 Abstract We show cathodoluminescence-based time-resolved electron beam spectroscopy in order to directly probe the spontaneous emission decay rate that is modified by the local density of states in a nanoscale environment. In contrast to dedicated laser-triggered electron-microscopy setups, we use commercial hardware in a standard SEM, which allows us to easily switch from pulsed to continuous operation of the SEM. Electron pulses of 80–90 ps duration are generated by conjugate blanking of a high-brightness electron beam, which allows probing emitters within a large range of decay rates. Moreover, we simultaneously attain a resolution better than λ/10, which ensures details at deep-subwavelength scales can be retrieved. As a proof-of-principle, we employ the pulsed electron beam to spatially measure excited-state lifetime modifications in a phosphor material across the edge of an aluminum half-plane, coated on top of the phosphor. The measured emission dynamics can be directly related to the structure of the sample by recording photon arrival histograms together with the secondary-electron signal. Our results show that time-resolved electron cathodoluminescence spectroscopy is a powerful tool of choice for nanophotonics, within reach of a large audience. Subject CathodoluminescenceLuminescenceQuantum electrodynamicsMicroscopySubwavelength structuresnanostructuresOA-Fund TU Delft To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:0053dbac-e722-4864-a482-4d3430ec380a DOI https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.24.024760 ISSN 1094-4087 Source Optics Express, 24 (21), 24760-24772 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2016 R.J. Moerland, I.G.C. Weppelman, M.W.H. Garming, P. Kruit, J.P. Hoogenboom Files PDF oe_24_21_24760.pdf 6.19 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:0053dbac-e722-4864-a482-4d3430ec380a/datastream/OBJ/view