Micromachining of diamond using near-field spanning optical microscope

Summary form only given. We report the implementation of standard scanning near-field optical/shear force microscopy technique for high resolution surface ablation of diamond. The use of uncoated fiber tip and nanosecond pulsed 1060 nm neodymium: YAG laser light allowed us to deliver an estimated 100 MW/cm/sup 2/ light power into the tip-sample region of 500 nm /spl times/ 500 nm during a single laser pulse. This power was sufficient for local surface ablation of diamond (possibly, through an intermediate step of diamond conversion into graphite) without melting or damaging of,a transparent tapered fiber tip. The topography changes caused by irradiation were immediately in situ recorded by the shear force microscope. The developed technique also allows the study of early stages of the diamond ablation process.