The fluorescence resonance energy-transfer (FRET) process was studied between donor dye mols. deposited on the sample surface and acceptor dye mols. deposited on the tips of scanning near-field and at. force microscopes. The FRET process was obsd. only when the tip acquired contact with the sample and took place in regions of sizes of only a few tens of nanometers with only a few thousands (or even hundreds) of mols. involved. The dependence of the FRET intensity on the tip-sample acting force is recorded and interpreted. In relation to the obtained results, the construction of a previously proposed 1-atom FRET SNOM is described. [on SciFinder (R)]