INTELLIGENT SENSOR FOR NEAR FIELD OPTICAL DEVICE

摘要

An optical device which may be used for photon scanning tunneling microscopy (PSTM) or scanning near field optical microscopy (SNOM) comprises a probe (30) which is integrally supported on a cantilever (31). Probe and cantilever may be fabricated from transparent semiconductor material similar to that of AFM tips, with e.g.silicon or silicon nitride as a material. The cantilever acts as an optical guide to direct photons to/from optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC). The shape of the tip can be tailored by etching techniques to pyramidal, conical shape or the like. The sensor is devoted to several simultaneous tasks: PSTM imaging of a surface, PSTM control of the three dimensional position of the probe tip at a predetermined location, simultaneous AFM or STM or any other local measurement and/or collection or delivery of photons at a specified place. By utilising evanescent waves, the device enables access to the mesoscopic range between 1 ANGSTROM -50 ANGSTROM . In an alternative embodiment the invention permits manipulation of microscopic particles by utilising the probe. The probe may also act as a sensor.