Imaging of optical and topographical distributions by simultaneous near field scanning optical/atomic force microscopy with a microfabricated photocantilever

Abstract
Simultaneous near field scanning optical and atomic force microscopy with a microfabricated photocantilever reveal both optical and topographical distributions. The cantilever tip changes the evanescent field into scattering light, and this scattering light is detected with a photodiode fabricated in the tip of the cantilever. The cantilever deflection signal leads to atomic force images. The resolution for imaging the evanescent field variation was 20 nm (λ/30). The near field optical and atomic force images indicate that the same point of the cantilever tip generates both optical and atomic force signals. This method is a new approach to optical and topographical microscopy with nanometer resolution.