Probe opening fabricating apparatus, and near-field optical microscope using the same

A probe opening fabricating apparatus for creating an opening with desired dimensions at a mask tip of a near-field optical microscope probe, said probe including a core made of a material having a light transmission property and a mask formed on a surface of said core and made of a material having a ductility and a light shielding property said apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• reflection means having an abutting surface which comes into abutment against said tip, said abutting surface reflecting incident light from said light source, directed via said core to said opening;
• light detection means for detecting the quantity of light of reflected light from a site where said tip abuts against said reflection means;
• press means for pressing said tip against said reflection means along the direction of the optical axis;
• storage means for storing in advance calibration information on the quantity of light of said reflected light and the dimensions of said opening;
• calculation means for figuring out the quantity of light of said reflected light for the acquisition of said opening with desired dimensions, from said calibration information stored in said storage means;
• and
• press control means for controlling pressing of said probe tip against said reflector means in the direction of the optical axis, effected by said press means, so as to allow the quantity of light of said reflected light detected by said light detection means to become equal to the quantity of light figured out by said calculation means.