Near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) for ultraviolet (UV) region b
ased on a triple tapered probe and an atomically flat sapphire plate techni
que has been developed. We demonstrate the fluorescence images of polysilan
e molecules dispersed on sapphire plate with ultra-flat surface utilizing t
he UV-NSOM system. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.