Characterization of Dielectric Solids with Single Quantum Emitters: From Measuring at the Nano-Scale to Mapping at Micro- and Macro-Level

Abstract

We show how the nanoscopy techniques based on registration of single fluorescent molecules (SM) and semiconductor quantum dots (QD) have been extended to perform advanced characterization of dielectric materials. In our studies SMs and QDs have been used as both the point light sources and sensitive multi-parameter local probes which reveal light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. Measuring sufficient numbers of the probes simultaneously gives us an opportunity for mapping dielectric parameters of some materials. The mapping procedure, if performed with the use of a convincing mathematical model, may be accurate down to nanometers and give reliable averages at micro- and macro-scales.