Vacuum shear force microscopy application to high resolution work

A new technique-Vacuum Shear Force Microscopy (VSFM)- is introduced as a re liable method for maintaining a constant separation between a probe and sam ple. Elimination of many of the instabilities observed when applying the sh ear force mechanism to imaging under ambient conditions, allows for routine nanometer lateral and sub-nanometer normal resolution. In this paper this technique is applied, firstly, to the imaging of microtubules (biology) and , secondly, to the patterning and subsequent imaging of nanoscale metal lin es (nanofabrication).