Abstract: The present invention has an object to obtain an optical waveguide probe which is formed in a hook form to illuminate and detect light by a manufacture using a silicon process. This optical waveguide probe is formed in a hook form and structured by an optical waveguide 1 sharpened at a probe needle portion 5 and formed of dielectric and a substrate 2 supporting this optical waveguide 1. This optical waveguide 1 is formed overlying the substrate 2. The optical waveguide 1 is structured by a core 8 to transmit light and a cladding 9 smaller in refractive index than the core 8.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to fabricate a near field optical head capable of recording and reading high density information at high speed with excellent mass production. In the invention, stoppers having almost the same height as that of a tip of conical or pyramidal shape are disposed around the tip, a part of a pressing body covering the tip and the stoppers is displaced by an external force, a part of the pressing body having displaced is allowed to come into contact with an opaque film near the point of the tip and thereby an aperture is formed. According to a fabricating method of the invention, multiple apertures can be formed in the block. Thus, the near field optical head is excellent in mass production and the formed aperture has a structure of high optical efficiency and high resolution. Therefore, the near field optical head capable of performing recording/reading in high density and at high speed can be fabricated in excellent mass production.

Abstract: An optical waveguide probe is disclosed which is used for a scanning near-field optical microscope, has a low light propagation loss, and is capable of performing an AFM operation, and a manufacturing method thereof is disclosed. The vicinity of the tip of an optical waveguide 2 is bent toward a side of a probe portion 9 through a plurality of surfaces symmetrical with respect to a plane including an optical axis of the optical waveguide 2. By this, a loss of a propagated light 7 at a bent portion 10 is reduced, and the propagated light 7 can be condensed to a minute aperture 5, so that near-field light can be efficiently emitted from the minute aperture 5.

Abstract: Realized are a near-field optical probe capable of illuminating or/and detecting near-field light great in intensity and acquiring an optical image great in S/N ratio, and a manufacturing method and near-field optical apparatus. Accordingly, a near-field optical probe comprises a cantilever in a cantilever form, a base for supporting the cantilever, a tip in a weight form formed on the cantilever, a microscopic aperture formed in an end of the tip, and a shade film formed on a surface of the cantilever opposite to the base and on area other than the microscopic aperture of the tip. The tip and the cantilever are formed of a transparent material high in transmissivity relative to a wavelength of light to be generated and/or detected by the microscopic aperture, and the tip is structurally filled with the transparent material.

Abstract: A semiconductor strain sensor comprises a semiconductor cantilever probe having a free end and a surface portion for undergoing deformation due to a displacement of the free end. A Schottky junction is disposed on the surface portion of the semiconductor cantilever probe and is positioned to undergo a change in electrical characteristic in response to the deformation of the surface portion. The amount of displacement of the free end of the cantilever probe is detected on the basis of a change in the electrical characteristic of the Schottky junction.