Two-point optical resolution with homogeneous,evanescent and self field: Resolution criterion in near field imaging

Abstract

The radiative and non-radiative electromagnetic field of a quantum particle is studied. An optical resolution criterion is proposed in terms of the two-point resolution. Resolution of optical microscopes is limited either by homogeneous diffraction (conventional microscopes) or by evanescent diffraction (near-field microscopes). The evanescent diffraction limit is a function of the wavelength and the observation distance (a portion of the wavelength), which may be circumvented by measuring the non-radiative field, namely the self field in the quantum range of the objects. The resolution then becomes a function of the object size, and is no longer limited by the wavelength of light used. The two-level hydrogen atom is taken as an example.