Dual Probe Optical Measurements

With two cantilevered, near-field optical probes with exposed tips, optical pump/probe experiments can now be performed. In this example light is injected through one probe and is guided through the sample which is a fiber. With the second probe in place, this injected light can be collected and analyzed both spatially and temporally.A diagramatic illustration is displayed above with a bright field optical microscopic image shown to the left. In this image two NSOM probes are seen in AFM contact with the input and output of the fiber waveguide. In the dark field image, the injected light from the illuminating 100nm near-field optical probe on the right is seen as a small spot of reflected light from the waveguide. This injected light is then guided through the fiber, and the intense spot on the left in the dark field image is collected and analyzed, both spatially and temporally, at the output of the waveguide with a second probe whose silhouette is clearly seen.