  Two back action (BA) processes generated by an optical cavity based detection
device can deeply transform the dynamical behavior of an AFM microlever: the
photothermal force or the radiation pressure. Whereas noise damping or
amplifying depends on optical cavity response for radiation pressure BA, we
present experimental results carried out under vacuum and at room temperature
on the photothermal BA process which appears to be more complex. We show for
the first time that it can simultaneously act on two vibration modes in
opposite direction: noise on one mode is amplified whereas it is damped on
another mode. Basic modeling of photothermal BA shows that dynamical effect on
mechanical mode is laser spot position dependent with respect to mode shape.
This analysis accounts for opposite behaviors of different modes as observed.
