Near-field optical imaging of flagellar filaments of salmonella in water with optical feedback control

Abstract

We report on the high-resolution observation of biological samples in water with a collection-mode near-field optical microscope (c-mode NOM) operating under optical feedback control. With rapidly decreasing evanescent field power used as the feedback signal, for the first time to our knowledge, an image of straight-type flagellar filaments of salmonella in water has been obtained. The estimated diameter of a single filament is around 55 nm with a pixel size of 10 nm. A comparison with its nominal value of 25 nm obtained from electron microscope observations under high vacuum confirms that our c-mode NOM performs high-resolution imaging in water.