Acoustic microscopy by atomic force microscopy

We have constructed an atomic force microscope enabling one to image the topography of a sample, and to monitor simultaneously ultrasonic surface vibrations in the MHz range. For detection of the distribution of the ultrasonic vibration amplitude, a part of the position-sensing light beam reflected from the cantilever is directed to an external knife-edge detector. Acoustic images taken on the surface of a wafer show a lateral resolution of about 100 nm at an ultrasonic frequency of 20 MHz.