  Scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy is a powerful imaging
technique for studying materials beyond the diffraction limit. However,
interpreting near-field measurements poses challenges in mapping the response
of polaritonic structures to meaningful physical properties. To address this,
we propose a theory based on the transfer matrix method to simulate the
near-field response of 1D polaritonic structures. Our approach provides a
computationally efficient and accurate analytical theory, relating the
near-field response to well-defined physical properties. This work enhances the
understanding of near-field images and complex polaritonic phenomena. Finally,
this scattering theory can extend to other systems like atoms or nanoparticles
near a waveguide.
