| Using near-field light enables the observation of sub-wavelength materials invisible with ordinary optical microscopes. Microscopes using near-field light are known as near-field optical microscopes. They illuminate materials with near-field light and observe dispersed light from the side. Many kinds of microscopes have been developed for nanotechnology research, but near-field optical microscopes stand out for the rich data they yield on the specimen being investigated. Diverse research activities are also being conducted on the application of near-field light in other areas. For example, applying near-field light for ultra-dense writing and reading of optical storage media such as CDs and DVDs would enable a dramatic increase in the amount of data a single disk can store. Near-field light also holds much promise for the semiconductor production field, as it could allow ultrafine patterning technologies, opening the way for the fabrication of ultra-small high-performance devices.
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