The invention relates to a probe for an optical near field microscope, said probe comprising a tip which is formed on a self-contained carrier, and to a method for producing the same. The aim of the invention is to provide a probe for an optical near field microscope and a method for the production thereof, whereby the probe has a tip with a very small aperture diameter and can thus be produced in a reproducible manner, according to a simple, advantageously controllable method. To this end, the inventive probe is characterised in that the probe tip is embodied as a complete structure which is applied to a planar surface of the carrier, and the inventive method comprises the following steps: a transparent layer is applied to a substrate, the thickness of the transparent layer corresponding to at least the height of the probe tip; the transparent layer is masked in at least one region of the probe tip; and the transparent layer is etched, forming the probe tip.