Optical-fibre scanning near-field optical microscope for cryogenic operation

We have developed a new type of scanning near-field optical microscope (SNO M) utilizing optical fibres. The probe tip is controlled by shear force fee dback with a fibre interferometer and signal light is collected directly by a multimode fibre. These features make the SNOM head more compact and less sensitive to vibration. Further advantages of this new type of SNOM are th at it obviates the need for optical windows in the cryostat and offers easy optical alignment.