Integrated III-V/silicon atomic force microscopy active optical probe

An integrated III-V/silicon or III-V/silicon nitride atomic force microscopy active optical probe comprising:

• a III-V semiconductor laser chip providing a gain medium section;
• and
• a silicon or silicon nitride cantilever atomic force microscopy probe, all integrated into a single III-V/silicon or III-V/silicon nitride chip to enable, in addition to atomic force microscopy measurements, near-field optical imaging, and optical spectroscopy of the investigated sample at the nanoscale;
• wherein said silicon or silicon nitride cantilever atomic force microscopy probe is a silicon or silicon nitride atomic force microscopy probe comprising a base, a cantilever, a tip formed at the end of the cantilever, and a folding mirror formed at the end of the cantilever to redirect the laser light into the tip toward the tip apex for optical excitation of the sample area located under the tip apex and for generation of optical response from that area;
• and
• wherein the III-V semiconductor laser chip is buried in the base of the silicon or silicon nitride atomic force microscopy probe right in front of the cantilever or at some distance from the cantilever and aligned with the cantilever to couple the laser light into the cantilever by way of butt or edge coupling, with the cantilever acting as an optical waveguide with silicon or silicon nitride core and air claddings.