Abstract

We propose a simple method employing the simultaneous detection of evanescent intensity and shear force to deduce variations in the near-field optical morphology of the apex of the probes used in near-field microscopy. Fabrication of our probes involves sharpening by chemical etching, metal coating, and removal of metal from the apex. We show that through the simultaneous measurement of shear force and evanescent intensity, it is possible to detect variations in the optical morphology of the very apex of the probes during near-field imaging by a scanning near-field optical microscope.

© 1996 Optical Society of America

Reproducible fabrication of a fiber probe with a nanometric protrusion for near-field optics

Shuji Mononobe, Masayuki Naya, Toshiharu Saiki, and Motoichi Ohtsu
Appl. Opt. 36(7) 1496-1500 (1997)

Image resolution in reflection scanning near-field optical microscopy using shear-force feedback: characterization with a spline and Fourier spectrum

Dominique Barchiesi, Olivier Bergossi, Michel Spajer, and Christian Pieralli
Appl. Opt. 36(10) 2171-2177 (1997)

Fabrication and characterization of optical-fiber nanoprobes for scanning near-field optical microscopy

N. Essaidi, Y. Chen, V. Kottler, E. Cambril, C. Mayeux, N. Ronarch, and C. Vieu
Appl. Opt. 37(4) 609-615 (1998)

Fabrication of a pencil-shaped fiber probe with a nanometric protrusion from a metal film for near-field optical microscopy

Shuji Mononobe, R. Uma Maheswari, and Motoichi Ohtsu
Opt. Express 1(8) 229-233 (1997)

Dual-optical-mode near-field scanning optical microscopy

P. K. Wei, J. H. Hsu, W. S. Fann, and K. T. Tsai
Appl. Opt. 35(34) 6727-6731 (1996)