Optical and plasmonic spectroscopy with cantilever shaped materials

International audienceMicro- and nanocantilevers, which have traditionally played a vital role in the development offorce microscopy, and more recently a special role in biological, chemical and physicalsensing and detection, have received comparatively little attention in optical spectroscopy. Wepresent an investigation of the optical response of microcantilevers towards their utilization inintegrated spectrometers in a broad part of the spectrum. By discussing the overall actuationmechanism we describe how surface modes may effectively contribute to the final signal.Using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, a series of multilayeredmicrocantilevers are characterized for their spectral response in the range from 7800 to400 cm¡1. Transmission FTIR and FTIR photothermal spectroscopy are carried out usingpolystyrene with well-established infrared spectra