Optical and mechanical detection of near-field light by atomic force microscopy using a piezoelectric cantilever

Abstract

In this study, we developed an atomic force microscopy (AFM) system with scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) using a microfabricated force-sensing cantilever with a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film. Both optical and mechanical detection techniques were adopted in SNOM to detect scattered light induced by the interaction of the PZT cantilever tip apex and evanescent light, and SNOM images were obtained for each detection scheme. The mechanical detection technique did allow for a clear observation of the light scattered from the PZT cantilever without the interference observed by the optical detection technique, which used an objective lens, a pinhole, and a photomultiplier tube.