Nanoscale silicon truncated conical photodetector at subwavelength aperture for NSOM applications

Silicon-based photodetector sharing subwavelength aperture and shaped as a truncated conical-probe, has been electrically and optically simulated. Designed for NSOM, it may collect near-field surface information with clear advantage of a resolution inaccessible by conventional optical microscopy. Results present a promising device for several wavelengths.