In addition to surface topography contact mode scanning force microsco
py can provide locally resolved information on surface forces and elec
trical charging behaviour. These methods are applied to molybdenum con
taining plasma-polymerized thin films which during deposition have bee
n subjected to energetic ion bombardment. Ifs influence on surface top
ography will be confirmed whereas a change of surface forces cannot un
iquely be attributed to it. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights
reserved.