SCANNING PROBE OPTICAL MICROSCOPY OF EVANESCENT FIELDS

Two new methods for probing evanescent fields using a Dimension(TM) 30 00 atomic force microscope (AFM) from Digital Instruments are describe d. The first method uses a fiber-optic pickup probe to collect light g enerated by a commercial silicon AFM probe, which perturbs the evanesc ent field. The pickup probe is mounted directly onto the AFM cantileve r probe holder so that it tracks with the AFM probe tip as it scans a sample but is positioned in such a manner as to permit the use of conv entional laser deflection distance regulation. The second method uses a novel bent optical fiber probe with a chemically etched conical quar tz tip to perturb the evanescent field together with a metallized clad ding to collect the scattered light. (C) 1998 American Institute of Ph ysics.