Fabrication of single-mode chalcogenide fiber probes for scanning near-field infrared optical microscopy

We fabricate scanning near-field optical microscope (IR-SNOM) probe tips made from singlemode chalcogenide fiber and test them using a standard SNOM setup and free-electron laser. SEM micrographs, showing tips with submicrometer physical dimensions, demonstrate the feasibility of the thermal micropipette puller process used to create the tips. Topographical data obtained using a shear-force nearfield microscope exhibit spatial resolution in the range of 80 to 100 nm. Optical data in the IR (near 3.5 mu m), using the probe tips in collection mode, indicate an optical spatial resolution of approximately lambda/15. (C) 1999 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. [S0091-3286(99)00108-7].