REFLECTION SCANNING MICROSCOPE - INFLUENCE OF THE DISTANCE AND THE ORIENTATION BETWEEN THE FIBER AND THE SAMPLE

The reflection scanning microscope provides a method for producing a scanned point light source as well as a system for collecting the light that is reflected by the sample. Theoretical calculations of the coupled intensity between the natural propagation mode of the optical fiber and the light reflected by the sample are presented as a function of the fiber-sample distance and of the orientation of the sample with respect to the fiber. Theoretical scans of the fiber above a reflection step, in constant distance and intensity modes, are presented as a function of the fiber-sample distance. In order to compare the theoretical scans with our experimental results, we present reflection scanning microscope images of a standard sample as a function of the fiber-sample distance.