Photocantilever: an integrated microprobe for near-field optical microscopy

We have developed an integrated micro-probe with improved detection efficiency for apertureless near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) by using micromachining techniques; we call this probe a `photocantilever'. A photocantilever is an integrated micro-cantilever with a pn- junction at its end; it is fabricated using micromachining techniques. It has achieve higher collection efficiency than conventional NSOM probes because the detector is placed close to the scatterer. Two new types of NSOM can be performed using this photocantilever: totally-internal- reflection-illumination-based NSOM and differential NSOM. Both provide NSOMs with high spatial resolution. The photocantilever enables apertureless NSOM with high collection efficiency and high resolution.