Open AccessFeedback-induced voltage change of a Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser as an active detection system for miniature optical scanning probe microscopes
Author(s) -
Dominique Heinis,
Christophe Gorecki,
Sylwester Bargiel,
B. Cretin
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.14.003396
Subject(s) - optics , vertical cavity surface emitting laser , microscope , materials science , laser , optoelectronics , photodetector , laser scanning , microscopy , voltage , scanning probe microscopy , physics , quantum mechanics
We propose a novel detection technique for scanning probe microscopy based on the measuring of the feedback-induced voltage change of 780-nm VCSEL operating at constant current in far-field regime when we modulate mechanically the length of a coupled-cavity generating the feedback conditions. The voltage change of the VCSEL is produced by light back reflected from the sample to the laser cavity. Two-dimensional image probing is successfully demonstrated with high temporal resolution, offering a viable solution for miniature parallel scanning probe optical microscopes, such as confocal microscope, where the use of a photodetector is avoided. This approach opens the possibility to perform imaging tasks in a low cost and hand-held miniature device with much improved effective-space.