We describe the operation of a simple near-held scanning microwave mic
roscope with a spatial resolution of about 100 mu m. The probe is cons
tructed from an open-ended resonant coaxial line which is excited by a
n applied microwave voltage in the frequency range of 7.5-12.4 GHz. We
present images of conducting structures with the system configured in
either receiving or reflection mode. The images demonstrate that the
smallest resolvable feature is determined by the diameter of the inner
wire of the coaxial line and the separation between the sample and pr
obe. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.