Abstract: A near-field optical microscope comprises an illumination part, a probe, a light detection part, and a scanning part. The illumination part illuminates a sample surface with light. The probe is provided at a position near the sample surface illuminated with the light. The light detection part detects light scattered by the probe. The scanning part scans the sample and a top end of the probe relatively to each, other. The top end of the probe is a top end of an extending part extending in one direction from a body of the probe. In the side of the top end of the extending part, the extending part is at most three times or less as thick as a top end diameter, over a length of a wavelength of the illuminating light. The near-field optical microscope further comprises means for vibrating the probe in a lengthwise direction of the extending part.