Novel scanning near-field optical microscopy/atomic force microscope probes by combined micromachining and electron-beam nanolithography

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Abstract
We have developed novel probes which allow scanning near-field optical microscopy to be performed in a conventional atomic force microscope (AFM). Direct-write electron-beam lithography and silicon micromachining have been used in a reliable batch process which allows the production of many probes at once without resort to handicraft. The aperture is situated at the hollow tip apex of a conventional silicon nitride AFM cantilever. Since there is no waveguide cutoff, the overall light throughput is dramatically enhanced. The integration of a conventional force microscope cantilever with the aperture allows more reliable and better control of the aperture-sample distance than that obtained by “shear-force” detection. In addition, since the apertures are defined by lithographic means, the size and shape of apertures are well controlled and reproducible. We present the first results of near-field optical imaging and luminescence imaging using these probes demonstrating excellent light throughput and also good spatial and spectral resolution.