Microsphere-Aided Super-Resolution Scanning Spectral and Photocurrent Microscopy for Optoelectronic Devices

Dielectric microspheres naturally possess unique optical properties by which the light's focus and confinement can be manipulated on a microscale. Combining microspheres and optical or Raman microscopy, super-resolution imaging beyond the diffraction limit and enhancement of Raman signals are demonstrated to provide abundant spectroscopic information on materials. However, microsphere-aided super-resolution scanning photocurrent imaging remains challenging to date. Here, based on the photonic nanojet mechanism, a super-resolution photocurrent and spectral microscopy equipped with a scanning tip with silica dielectric microspheres are presented. With such microsphere-aided microscopy, order of magnitude enhancements for single-point Raman and photoluminescence signals can be achieved, and the spatial resolutions for photocurrent and spectral mapping surpass the best resolution of the original confocal system restricted by the diffraction limit. This versatile system enables correlative super-resolution spectral and photocurrent imaging, serving as a reliable tool for comprehensively understanding and uncovering the optoelectronic properties of materials.

Automated summary

By combining microspheres and optical or Raman microscopy, super-resolution imaging beyond the diffraction limit and enhancement of Raman signals can be achieved, providing abundant spectroscopic information on materials. However, microsphere-aided super-resolution scanning photocurrent imaging remains challenging. In this study, a super-resolution photocurrent and spectral microscopy equipped with silica dielectric microspheres is presented, which allows for order of magnitude enhancements in Raman and photoluminescence signals, as well as surpassing the spatial resolutions of the original confocal system.