Cylindrical fiber probes and methods of making them

• US 5,570,441 A
• Filed: 05/20/1994
• Issued: 10/29/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Filas, Robert W., Marchman, Herschel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Palmer, Phan T. H.
• Application Number:
  US08/247,165
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 385/43, 385/12, 385/117, 385/123, 65/429, 250/216, 250/227.13, 359/368, 428/392, 428/397, 428/399, 156/663, 156/664
• US Class Current: 385/43
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 35/00 Methods or apparatus for measurement or analysis of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/68 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 60/22 Probes, their manufacture, or their related instrumentation, e.g. holders
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/241 Light guide terminations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/245 Removing protective coverings of light guides before coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3628 for mounting fibres to supporting carriers G02B6/3608, G02B6/3616 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/025 of field emission cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/878 Shape/taper

Abstract

This invention involves a fiber probe device and a method of making it. The probe includes a relatively thick upper cylindrical portion, typically in the form of a solid fight circular cylinder, terminating in a tapered portion that terminates in a relatively thin lower cylindrical portion, typically also in the form of a solid right circular cylinder, the lower portion having a width (diameter) in the approximate range of as little as approximately 0.05 μm.

Claims

1. A probe device comprising:

a fiber having a relatively thick upper cylindrical portion terminating in a tapered portion that terminates in a relatively thin right cylindrical lower portion;

the lower cylindrical portion having maximum width in the approximate range of 0.05 μ

m to 10. μ

m and terminating at its bottom extremity in an essentially planar end surface oriented perpendicular to the axis of the thin right cylindrical portion.

2. The probe device of claim 1 in which the thin cylindrical portion has a height of at least 1.0 μ

m.

3. The probe device of claim 2 in which the thin cylindrical portion is essentially glass.

4. The probe device of claim 1 in which the thin cylindrical portion has a height of at least 5. μ

m.

5. The probe device of claim 4 in which the thin cylindrical portion is essentially glass.

6. The probe device of claim 1 in which the thin cylindrical portion is essentially glass.

7. The probe device of claim 1 in which the diameter of the thin cylindrical portion is in the approximate range of 0.05 μ

m to 0.2 μ

m.

8. The probe device of claim 7 in which the fiber is essentially glass.

9. The probe device of claim 1 in which the diameter of the thin cylindrical portion is less than approximately 0.5 μ

m.

10. The probe device of claim 1 in which thick portion is thin cylindrical and is oriented coaxially with the thin cylindrical portion.

11. The probe device of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 in which the lower cylindrical portion is a solid right cylindrical portion.

12. A method including moving the probe device recited in claim 11 at distances from a surface of a sample body where the forces exerted on the probe device in the direction perpendicular to the overall surface of the sample body are mutually equal.

13. A method including moving the probe device recited in claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 at distances from a surface of a sample body where the forces exerted on the probe device in the direction perpendicular to the overall surface of the sample body are mutually equal.