scanning near-field optical microscopy scattering near-field optical microscopy scattering near-field microscopy scattering SNOM Microscopy where a probe consisting of a laser transmitted through a tapered optical fibre is positioned very close to (<10 nm from) the surface of the specimen and focused to a diffraction-limited spot size. A vibrating metallic AFM cantilever tip periodically and locally modifies the electromagnetic field distribution of the excitation laser. An image is produced by scanning the probe over the specimen and detecting the scattered light from the tip as a function of position. A force feedback loop is used to maintain a fixed relationship between the probe and surface during scanning. CHMO:0002662 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5985-7429 scattering-type near-field optical microscopy scattering-type near-field microscopy sSNOM scattering-type SNOM 2010-01-09T10:52:58Z SNIM s-SNOM