Figure 2.

Finite element analysis was performed to computationally predict the illumination profile above (A–D) 50 nm and (E–F) 100 nm diameter apertures. Normalizations were performed on each aperture diameter independently so that the brightest spots in A–D and E–H were separately set to unity, with 54× greater maximum intensity for the 100 nm vs 50 nm apertures. Results for (A, B, E, F) linear and (C, D, G, H) circularly polarized incident light are shown. The vertical scale (z) was set equal to zero at the top of the SiO₂ coating of the apertures; the Al film and the SiO₂ pillar exist at z < −10 nm.