A united analytical technology based on the integration of scanning probe nanotomography and optical microscopy (SPNT-OM) is presented and the potential of the technology is demonstrated by the example of multi-parameter analysis of encoded microspheres. The presented SPNT-OM technology can become a powerful tool for multimodal nanocharacterization of a wide range of microparticles, composite and hybrid polymers.

The principal limitation of the use of the Tip Enhanced Raman Scattering spectroscopy (TERS) is due to the lack of reliable scanning probes. The paper presents a simple technique for the fabrication of cantilever-based TERS-probes with highly reproducible characteristics, high performance, reliable and giving sufficient enhancement. The technique is based on the modification of standard scanning probe microscope contilevers by plasma etching and the subsequent formation of a TERS-amplifying region on the tip of probe by deposition of colloidal nanoparticles by dielectrophoresis.

Competitive schemes for constructing an optical system for combining a scanning probe microscope and optical microspectrometer, allowing the study of opaque samples by the method of  tip enhancement of the Raman scattering intensity, are considered. Optimal objectives for the implementation of each scheme, taking into account the presence of a scanning microscope probe, are selected. The efficiency of usage of each optical scheme is estimated quantitatively for both excitation of a Raman scattering signal and collecting secondary radiation. As a result, the most effective optical system in terms of "excitation / collection“ parameter is revealed.

A system of a low-profile SPM-deflectometer (SPM - scanning probe microscopy) which makes it possible to increase the aperture of the supplied objectives to the currently record value NA = 0.75 has been developed, manufactured and tested. The introduction of such a system will significantly improve the performance of optical techniques for combined SPM / optical microspectroscopy systems.