How AFM Works 9-1 NSOM (Near Field Scanning Optical Microscopy)

In Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM), a topography scan is performed with a specialized cantilever featuring a nanoscale aperture. During the scan, a laser is directed through the aperture to excite the sample surface, while a photon counter is used to detect the optical response of each excited region. The resulting image combines the topography of the surface with an optical image.