Near-field light detection of a photo induced force by atomic force microscopy with frequency modulation.

We demonstrated near-field light detection using a non contact-mode atomic force microscope (nc-AFM). This system obtains molecular-level resolution by reducing noise in the displacement detection of a Si cantilever. The Si cantilever probe tip was brought close to a glass with a patterned chromium film on a dove prism. The backside of the prism was irradiated by an intensity-modulated laser light to create an evanescent field at the glass surface. We obtained a near-field optical image of the chromium-patterned glass by detecting the amplitude modulation induced by the near-field light while the tip–sample distance was regulated by the frequency modulation method under atmospheric conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]