Structural and optical characterisation of holeyfibres using scanning probe microscopy

An investigation of a holey fibre using scanning probe microscopy techniques, which the authors believe is the first such investigation, is presented. Atomic force microscopy images provide knowledge of the fibre structure without the artefacts associated with scanning electron microscopy imaging. A tapered fibre scanning near-field optical microscopy probe has been used to investigate holey fibre modes at 785 nm.