Abstract
A high resolution scanning optical microscope for stroboscopic time-resolved studies is presented. High optical efficiency is the prime motivation in selecting a solid immersion lens to surpass conventional diffraction limited resolution. A microscope design including details concerning the fabrication, mounting, and operation of both the hemispherical and the truncated-sphere solid immersion lenses is discussed. A thin-film magnetic recording head is used as a convenient, planar test specimen with well-defined optically reflective and magnetic features on a submicrometer length scale that allows characterization of the lateral spatial resolution of the instrument. In addition, the versatility of the microscope is demonstrated through examples of time-resolved magneto-optic imaging of the head. Further enhancement of the spatial resolution through the incorporation of confocal imaging is also described. The tradeoffs governing the selection of a particular style of microscope for specific circumstances are outlined.
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