Short fiber probe scheme for tapping-mode tuning fork near-field scanning optical microscopy

Construction of a tapping-mode tuning fork with a short fiber probe as the force sensing element for near-field scanning optical microscopy is reported. This type of near-field scanning optical microscopy provides stable and high Q factor at the tapping frequency of the tuning fork, and thus gives high quality NSOM and AFM images of samples. We present results obtained by using the short tip tapping-mode tuning fork near-field scanning optical microscopy measurements performed on a single mode telecommunication optical fiber and a silica based buried channel waveguide.