Characteristic rate variations of carrier processes are imaged using near-field scanning optical microscopy. We couple both a visible pump and an infrared probe light through a subwavelength aperture to investigate the interband recombination and intraband diffusion of excess carriers in oxidized silicon. Typical values of the locally measured life time constants agree well with those obtained by conventional space-averaged techniques. Moreover, the images locate defects, reveal variations, and can map the regions in which a recombination process is active. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.