Patent ID: 8601608

Claim:
A cantilever for a scanning probe microscope, said cantilever comprising: a probe provided on the tip of said cantilever, the probe comprising: a substrate that is at least partly light transmitting; a conductive layer formed on said substrate; and an insulating layer laminated on said conductive layer; and an optical waveguide communicating with said light transmitting substrate of said probe, said light transmitting substrate existing continuously up to the tip of said probe, wherein when said probe is viewed from the tip end, said conductive layer is formed on the periphery of an opening of the tip of said probe on which said conductive layer is absent, wherein said insulating layer is formed on the periphery of said conductive layer, wherein a distal end of the substrate does not extend past a distal end of the insulating layer, wherein the surface of said conductive layer is formed smoothly without a step or edge, and wherein a distal end of the conductive layer, the distal end of the substrate and the distal end of the insulating layer are coplanar.