fiber-top cantilever

Fiber-top cantilevers are a new generation of miniaturized devices invented by our group. They are obtained by carving a tiny mechanical beam on top of an optical fiber. The light coupled into the fiber allows one to remotely detect any mechanical deflection of the mechanical beam. Their monolithic all-optical design adapts well to the development of user-friendly instruments for harsh environments and small volumes. We have already demonstrated that fiber-top cantilevers can be used in atomic force microscopy, biochemical sensing, and for refractive index measurements. We are now developing smaller fiber-top devices to be used in biophysics experiments.