Optical near field generator
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsTakuya Matsumoto, Masashi Kiguchi, Hirofumi Sukeda
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Abstract
An optical near field probe of high resolution and high efficiency is disclosed. A near field light is generated using a tapered, plane scatterer formed on a substrate surface. The intensity of the near field light is enhanced by making the area of the scatterer smaller than that of a light spot and by selecting the material, shape, and size of the scatterer so as to generate plasmon resonance. An optical near field generator having a high light utilization efficiency can be obtained.
Claims20
An optical near field generator, comprising:
- a light source;
- and
- an electrically conductive scatterer which is tapered toward a vertex capable of generating a near field light, wherein the area of the scatterer is smaller than the area of a light spot radiated to the scatterer defined by the cross-section of the light source at the surface of the scatterer or wherein the area of the scatterer is smaller than the square of the wavelength of light radiated to the scatterer.
An optical near field generator, comprising:
- a light source;
- and
- an electrically conductive scatterer which is tapered toward a vertex capable of generating a near field light, wherein the distance between the vertex of the scatterer and a point on the scatterer that is furthest from said vertex is smaller than the diameter of a light spot radiated to the scatterer defined by the cross-section of the light source at the surface of the scatterer or is smaller than the wavelength of light radiated to the scatterer.
An apparatus including a near field generator, said apparatus comprising:
- an optical near field generator, comprising
- a light source, and
- an electrically conductive scatterer which is tapered toward a vertex capable of generating a near field light, wherein the area of the scatterer is smaller than the area of a light spot radiated to the scatterer defined by the cross-section of the light source at the surface of the scatterer or wherein the area of the scatterer is smaller than the square of the wavelength of light radiated to the scatterer,
- wherein the scatterer is formed at a location selected from the group consisting of a light condensing point on a light condensing element, in the vicinity of an optical resonator, in the vicinity of an exit surface of a semiconductor laser, and in the vicinity of a light receiving surface of a photodetector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.