Abstract Optomechanical resonators formed by the surface of an emitting semiconductor laser and the reflective surface of the probe of scanning probe microscope (SPM) were studied. The use of scanning probe microscopy techniques allowed studying the properties of such optomechanical resonators in details. The effect of optical cooling of an SPM probe in an optomechanical resonator was investigated by measuring the spectra of thermal vibrations of an SPM probe. Minimal achievable temperatures of SPM probe cooling were experimentally established.