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US 5,288,997 AGranted
Manufacturing method, including near-field optical microscopic examination of a magnetic bit pattern
AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorsRobert E. Betzig, Ernst M. Gyorgy, Jay K. Trautman, Raymond Wolfe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical system useful, e.g., for near-field scanning optical microscopy is provided. The system incorporates a probe having improved properties. In one embodiment, the probe comprises a tapered and partially metallized portion of a single-mode optical fiber.
Claims2
A method for manufacturing an article, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a multiplicity of substrates, each substrate having a surface layer of magnetic material to be impressed with a bit pattern;
- b) setting at least one process parameter;
- c) processing at least a first substrate according to the process parameter such that a bit pattern is formed in the surface layer of the substrate;
- d) sensing the bit pattern in at least the first substrate;
- e) comparing the sensed bit pattern to a predetermined bit pattern;
- f) if the sensed bit pattern is different from the predetermined bit pattern, changing the process parameter to bring the sensed and predetermined bit patterns into conformity;
- g) after (f), processing at least a second substrate according to the process parameter;
- and
- h) performing, on at least the second substrate, at least one additional step toward completion of the article.
- wherein the sensing step comprises the further steps of:
- i) impinging electromagnetic radiation of at least a given wavelength on the surface layer such that at least a portion of the radiation is reflected from the surface layer;
- j) admitting a portion of the reflected radiation into a waveguiding body through an aperture that is distant from the surface layer by no more than the given wavelength, and that is smaller, in a least one lateral dimension, than the given wavelength;
- exciting a guided metallic mode of electromagnetic radiation within the waveguiding body;
- adiabatically converting a portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the metallic mode to at least one guided dielectric mode;
- and
- receiving the adiabatically converted radiation at a photodetector.
13 more elements
A method for manufacturing an article, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a multiplicity of substrates, each substrate having a surface layer of magnetic material to be impressed with a bit pattern;
- b) setting at least one process parameter;
- c) processing at least a first substrate according to the process parameter such that a bit pattern is formed in the surface of the substrate;
- d) sensing the bit pattern in at least the first substrate;
- e) comparing the sensed bit pattern to a predetermined bit pattern;
- f) if the sensed bit pattern is different from the predetermined bit pattern, changing the process parameter to bring the sensed and predetermined bit patterns into conformity;
- g) after (f), processing at least a second substrate according to the process parameter;
- and
- h) performing, on at least the second substrate, at least one additional step toward completion of the article.
- wherein the sensing step comprises the further steps of:
- i) admitting electromagnetic radiation of at least a given wavelength into an optical waveguiding body such that a guided dielectric mode is excited within the waveguiding body;
- j) adiabatically converting a portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the guided dielectric mode to a guided metallic mode;
- k) emitting a portion of the adiabatically converted radiation from an aperture that is distant from the surface layer by no more than the given wavelength, and that is smaller, in a least one lateral dimension, than the given incident wavelength, such that at least some of the emitted radiation is reflected by the surface layer;
- and
- l) receiving at least some of the reflected radiation at a photodetector.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.