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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 February 2014
In this study a scanning near-field ellipsometric microscope (SNEM), a hybrid device of an atomic force microscope (AFM) and an ellipsometer, is used to obtain optical images of heterogeneous polymer thin films with a resolution below the diffraction limit of light. SNEM optical images of a microphase separated PS-b-P2VP block copolymer film collected with gold coated and bare silicon AFM probe tips were compared to obtain a deeper insight into the nature of the SNEM contrast mechanism. Furthermore, intensity vs. distance curves were recorded on a PS-b-PMMA block copolymer film simultaneously during the acquisition of force-displacement curves to study the far-field contribution of the optical signal to the optical image.