NEAR-FIELD LIGHT SENSING OPTICAL SYSTEM, NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL APPARATUS AND SENSING METHOD FOR OPTICAL INFORMATION USNING THEM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a near-field light sensing optical system, whose noise level is low and by which a clear optical contrast can be obtained and to improve the reproducing resolution of an optical recording and reproducing apparatus and a near-field optical microscope. SOLUTION: This optical system is provided with an optical prove (8), in which an optical opening and a reflector are formed at its tip, a means by which the light beam of linearly polarized light is guided to the optical probe (8) and by which near-field light is generated to be made incident on the surface of a specimen (9), a means by which reflected light from the specimen (9) is guided to a detection element (13) through the optical probe (8) from the optical opening, and the detection element (13) which is equipped with an analyzer (12).