Possibility to read out 20-nm-sized pits using a near-field optical probe in an atomic force cantilevered snom

We have studied a possibility to read small pits in electron beam (EB) resist layer using a near-field optical probe for ultrahigh density optical storage. For the reading, we used small near-field optical probe in prototype atomic force cantilevered SNOM, which has an ability to obtain both atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning near-field microscope (SNOM) images simultaneously. We formed 20-nm sized pit arrays with a pitch of 60 nm using a conventional EB writing system based on a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Using the arrays and the prototype ANOM system, we have demonstrated the possibility to read-out 20-nm-sized pits using near-field optical probe