The preferred embodiments are directed to a method and apparatus of
operating a scanning probe microscope (SPM) including oscillating a probe
of the SPM at a torsional resonance of the probe, and generally
simultaneously measuring an electrical property, e.g., a current,
capacitance, impedance, etc., between a probe of the SPM and a sample at
a separation controlled by the torsional resonance mode. Preferably, the
measuring step is performed while using torsional resonance feedback to
maintain a set-point of SPM operation.