Construction of a dual mode scanning near-field optical microscope based on a tapping mode atomic force microscope

We present the modification of a commercial tapping mode atomic force microscope into a reflection and transmission dual mode scanning near-field optical microscope. In the configuration, the normal force detection unit is replaced by a shear force detection module and an interfacing circuit. The tip-sample distance control is therefore similar to tapping mode operation. Detection of the near-field signals is based on photodiodes and the lock-in technique, and the resolutions obtained for the topography and the near-field signal are around 80 and 150 nm, respectively. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.