Fluorescence resonance energy transfer ~FRET! has been observed between donor dye molecules
deposited onto the sample surface and acceptor dye molecules deposited onto the scanning
near-field optical microscope ~SNOM! or atomic force microscope tip. FRET was observed only
when the tip acquired a contact with the sample and took place in a region of few tens of square
nanometers in size when thousands ~hundreds! of molecules are involved. In view of the obtained
results, the perspectives for the construction of a one-atom FRET SNOM are described.