Near-field imaging of pyramid-like nanoparticles at a surface

An exact analytical solution of the self-consistent equation for the local field is used to calculate the near-field optical images of pyramid-like nano-objects placed at a surface of a solid. The diagram method developed previously for near-field image formation is generalized in order to describe layered objects, which are treated as many-body systems. The near-field optical images of triangular and square pyramids are calculated for the illumination configuration as well as those of triangular and square prisms. It is found that the near-field images of nanoparticles having the dielectric constant close to that of the substrate change rapidly and in a complicated manner with the probe–sample distance.