Apertureless optical near-field fabrication using an atomic force microscope on photoresists

We present an apertureless optical near-field fabrication using an atomic force microscope. With this technique, we can directly pattern 100 nm lines that are smaller than the diameter of the incident far-field diffraction spot on positive photoresist spin coated over glass substrate. The nanostructure fabrication was carried out by the field enhancement generated at the tip apex of an apertureless probe illuminated with a 403 nm laser light. Results also show that the amount of energy required to induce photolysis seems to decrease in the presence of the tip.