APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ATOMIC FORCE, NEAR-FIELD SCANNING OPTICAL MICROSCOPY

摘要

A near- field optic (6) has a high refractive index waveguide (22) with a planar far field facet (14, 32) more than half of a wavelength across for coupling propagating light and a near field facet with the near field zone (28) of the waveguide supporting only the fundamental optical mode in each polarization. A tapered waveguide section (8) extends from the near field facet to transform the fundamental optical mode. A cantilever (24) supports the tapered waveguide section.