Carving fiber-top optomechanical transducers from an optical fiber

In a recent paper (Iannuzzi et al 2006 Monolithic fiber-top sensor for critical environments and standard applications Appl. Phys. Lett. 88 053501) we have presented the principle of the fiber-top position sensor, having a monolytical structure carved out of a single-mode optical fiber. The device alleviates sensing in a critical environment via interferometric readout, and because of its monolithic construction, facilitates plug-and-play utilization without alignment. In this paper we describe the fabrication method of a similar device which, however, was also equipped with a pyramidal tip on the top of the cantilever, an important detail for future implementation in scanning probe microscopy. A silicon surface was then periodically put in contact and moved out of contact with the device. The output signal resembles force curves that can be similarly obtained with atomic force microscopes.