Optical near-field probe and process for its manufacture
AssigneesInstitut fur Mikrotechnik Mainz GmbH, Omicron Vakuumphysik GmbH
InventorsWilfried Noell, Alexander Ruf, Karsten Mayr, Peter Guthner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical near-field probe (1) includes a carrier component (10), which carries a tip (40), and has only one membrane (11, 20), transparent at least in the area of the tip (40), which is mounted on the light emission surface (9) of an optical waveguide (2) that is made of a rigid material such as glass or plastic. The dimensions of the membrane (11, 20), at least in one direction in the membrane plane, are less than or equal to the diameter of the optical waveguide (2). To position the tip (40) over the core (3) of the optical waveguide (2), optical methods can be used or the membrane and optical waveguide can be provided with locating elements.
Claims14
An optical near-field probe, comprising an optical waveguide and a micro-engineered tip attached to a carrier component, the optical waveguide (2) comprising a rigid material, the carrier component (10) comprising a single membrane (11, 20) which is transparent at least in an area of the tip (40), the membrane being mounted on a light emission surface (9) of the optical waveguide (2), wherein dimensions of the membrane (11, 20), at least in one direction in a membrane plane, are no greater than a diameter of the optical waveguide (2).
An optical near-field probe, comprising a micro-engineered tip (40), a carrier component (10) comprising a single membrane (11,20), the single membrane supporting the micro-engineered tip and being transparent at least in an area of the micro-engineered tip, an optical waveguide (2) attached to the single membrane, opposite from the micro-engineered tip, and formed of a rigid material, the single membrane being mounted on a light emission surface (9) of the optical waveguide (2), wherein dimensions of the single membrane (11,20), at least in one direction in a membrane plane, are no greater than a diameter of the optical waveguide (2).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.