US5294790A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Probe unit for near-field optical scanning microscope
Assignee: Olympus Corp
•
Filing: 1992-10-06
•
Granted: 1994-03-15
•
Expires: 2012-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A hole is formed in a silicon substrate, passing through the substrate. An insulating film is formed on one face of the silicon substrate and one open end of the hole is thus closed by the insulating film. An antireflection film is attached to that area of the insulating film by which the one open end of the hole is closed. An optical fiber is fitted and fixed in the hole. An optically-transparent conical probe is formed on the area of the insulating film which corresponds to the hole in the silicon substrate and the probe is coated by a metal film while leaving a tip of the probe not coated. A fine aperture is thus formed at the tip of the probe to allow light to enter into the probe through the fine aperture. The metal film prevents light reflected from entering into the probe and light from being leaked from the probe, and it is connected to an electrode to use tunnel current to position the fine aperture near a sample.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshinori Ohta
- 👤 Hiroshi Kajimura
- 👤 Akitoshi Toda
- 👤 Tsugiko Takase
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:51
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01Q; G01Q60/00; G01Q60/18; G01Q60/22; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y20/00; B82Y35/00; G01B; G01B9/00; G01B9/04; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/3616; G02B6/3624; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/849; Y10S977/86; Y10S977/862
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
41 words
A probe unit for a near-field optical scanning microscope comprising: an optically-transparent probe; and a base member having a through-hole and supporting the probe; wherein said probe is coupled to said base member to be optically aligned with said through-hole therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
A probe unit for a near-field optical scanning microscope comprising: an optically-transparent probe; and a base member having a through-hole and supporting the probe; wherein said probe is coupled to said base member to be optically aligned with said through-hole therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The probe unit according to claim 1, further comprising: light emitting means for emitting light; and light introducing means for introducing light emitted from the light emitting means into the probe; wherein evanescent light is radiated from a tip portion of the probe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The probe unit according to claim 1, wherein one end of said through-hole in said base member is covered by a thin film on which said probe is mounted, said thin film comprising at least one of an electrically insulating film and an anti-reflection film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
The probe unit according to claim 2, wherein one end of said through-hole in said base member is covered by a thin film on which said probe is mounted, said thin film comprising both an electrically insulating film and an antireflection film, formed on the electrically insulating film, for preventing reflection of light from the light introducing means at the electrically insulating film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The probe unit according to claim 2, wherein matching oil is interposed between the light introducing means and the probe to prevent reflection of light due to a changing refractive index of an optical path extending from the light introducing means to the probe.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The probe unit according to claim 5, further comprising means for adding the matching oil between the light introducing means and the probe.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The probe unit according to claim 2, wherein said light introducing means comprises an optical fiber which is fixed in said through-hole in said base member at a first end thereof and which serves to lead light into the probe, when light emitted from said light emitting means is incident on a second end of said optical fiber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The probe unit according to claim 2, wherein said light introducing means comprises a fiber bundle including a plurality of optical fibers, said fiber bundle being fixed in said through-hole in said base member at a first end thereof and serving to lead light into the probe, when light emitted from said light emitting means is incident on a second end of said fiber bundle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The probe unit according to claim 8, wherein said light emitting means includes plural light sources for emitting lights which are different in wavelength, and wherein each of said plurality of optical fibers of said fiber bundle corresponds to a respective one of the plural light sources and leads light from the corresponding respective light source into the probe.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
The probe unit according to claim 1, further comprising: light detector means for detecting light; and light leading means for leading light from the probe to the light detector means; wherein a tip portion of said probe picks up evanescent light emitted from a sample, and wherein said light leading means leads the picked up evanescent light to the light detector means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The probe unit according to claim 10, wherein matching oil is interposed between the optical means and the probe to prevent reflection of light due to a changing refractive index of an optical path extending from the probe to the optical means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The probe unit according to claim 11, further comprising means for adding the matching oil between the optical means and the probe.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The probe unit according to claim 10, further comprising an interference filter arranged between said through-hole in said base member and the light detector means to selectively allow only evanescent light to pass therethrough.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The probe unit according to claim 10, wherein said light leading means comprises an optical fiber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The probe unit according to claim 14, further comprising lens means arranged between the optical fiber and the probe.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The probe unit according to claim 15, wherein said lens means comprises a micro-lens fixed to a larger one of two openings of said through-hole in said base member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The probe unit according to claim 15, wherein said lens means comprises a ball lens fixed in said through-hole in said base member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The probe unit according to claim 15, wherein said lens means comprises a lens made of a resin provided in said through-hole in said base member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The probe unit according to claim 2, further comprising a metal film covering portions of the probe except for the tip portion thereof, and wherein the evanescent light is passed through a fine aperture of the tip portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5025147A
Cited
US5018865A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-03-14 | 1997-09-13 | 1998-03-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-03-14 | 2001-09-13 | 2002-03-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-03-14 | 2005-09-13 | 2006-03-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |