Co-axial detection and illumination with shear force dithering in a near-field scanning optical microscope
US5548113A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 1994 |
| Grant date | Aug 20, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/862
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A near-field optical microscope is provided having a tip or tapered optical fiber light guide mounted directly in a hole drilled in the center of a microlens which itself is mounted in a piezoelectric tube for dithering. The tip of the tapered fiber is positioned at the front focal point of the lens. Light emanating from the region just about the tip is thus collected and collimated by the lens. A second lens, further down the optical path next focuses the beam into another fiber for transmission to a photon detection and/or spectroscopic apparatus. This second fiber can alternatively be replaced by one or more image processing lenses or a coherent fiber bundle with the light being transmitted to a position sensitive detector to provide a direct image of the tip region. The microscope also includes a shear force dithering apparatus for control of fiber tip to sample distance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.