Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is widely used to study the structure and dynamics of biological interfaces by confining the excitation of a complex fluorescent sample very close to the material on which it is supported. By working with high refractive index solid supports, it is possible to even further confine the evanescent field, and by varying the angle of incidence, to profile fluorescent objects with high z-resolution. High refractive index materials, such as lithium niobate, sapphire, and zinc sulfide, exhibit different surface chemistries and each presents a unique challenge for defining biomolecular assemblies at the surface, a prerequisite for high resolution TIR techniques. In contrast, many well-developed strategies exist for modifying and tethering biomolecules to SiO@sub 2@ surfaces. Furthermore, SiO@sub 2@ surfaces are one of the few that can be used as substrates for supported lipid bilayers, a useful model system for studying biological membranes and interactions between membrane components and cells. We report the fabrication of hybrid surfaces consisting of nm layers of SiO@sub 2@ on lithium niobate (LiNbO@sub 3@, n = 2.3). Supported lipid bilayer membranes can be assembled and patterned on these hybrid surfaces as on conventional glass. By varying the angle of incidence of the excitation light, we show resolution of structures near a dielectric interface displaced by only tens of nanometers. These results demonstrate that it should be possible to profile the vertical location of fluorophores with nm resolution in real time, opening the possibility of many experiments at the interface between supported membranes and living cells.