Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for near-field, scanning, optical microscopy by reflective, optical feedback

US5389779A · kind A · utility

68Cited by
2References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 29, 1993
Grant dateFeb 14, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 29, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B11/10541
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Apparatus and methods of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) are described. A sensing technique is used, in which a light source having an optical cavity is reflectively coupled to the sample surface. Changes in the surface properties of the sample at the sensed location alter the optical feedback in the light source. This leads to detectable changes in the output characteristics of the light source.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.