Influence of surface plasmon wave interference on near-field imaging on metal nanostructures with apertured probe

We numerically studied artifact issues on near-field imaging of field intensity on metal nanostruc-tures (isolated ridges and slits in a continuous film) with an apertured probe. It is shown for the latter case that the interaction between neighboring slits via propagating surface plasmon waves (e.g., surface plasmon wave interferences) makes the probe-imaged field intensity highly condi-tional in reflection of the unperturbed field. As surface plasmon behaviors and probe imaging processes are polarization-sensitive and the field components are correlated, a model analysis of the partial field components elucidates their relations, which can help to derive the unperturbed near-field image from the probed one.