Preparation of high energy throughput SNOM probes

• In this technical note we present technological steps of fabrication of high energy throughput SNOM probes. The core-metal coating interface of probes is corrugated what enhances photon-to-plasmon coupling. A strong evanescent field allows for reduction of aperture diameter, which together with skin depth of metal used for coating decide upon resolution. Probes are made of Ge-doped silica glass fibre, which is hydrogenated to increase its photosensitivity. A Bragg grating is recorded in the cores with UV light diffracted into +1 st/1st diffraction orders on a sinusoidal phase mask. Modulation of the refractive index is connected with different etch rates. Etching with the Turner method is made in aqueous solution of HF acid. A corrugated tapered fibre is then coated with aluminium in a special rotating holder. We present results of this novel multi step technology.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Annan teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Other Engineering and Technologies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

SNOM

Coating interfaces

Refractive index

Corrugated metal

resolution

Aperture diameter

Hydrofluoric acid

High energy

Ge-doped silica

Silica

Skin depth

Metal coatings

Technical notes

Protective coatings

Bragg gratings

Fiber optic networks

Metals

Etch rates

Multi-step

Diffraction orders

aperture metal-coated probes

HF acid

Probes

Germanium

Bragg grating

Phase masks

Evanescent fields

High energy physics

Transparent optical networks

Doping (additives)

corrugated tapered probes

Glass fibers

Publication and Content Type

kon (subject category)

ref (subject category)