IMAGING FIBERS BY ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY

Glass textile fibers have been used to demonstrate an atomic force mic roscope technique presented in this article. This method can be applie d for imaging the surface of any micron or larger sized fibers. The fi bers are discovered to have a variable corrugated surface texture, rat her than the previously supposed uniformly cylindrical form, with indi vidual ridges about 5-10 nm high. Scanning electron microscopy images of equivalent glass fibers are included for comparison. (C) 1996 Ameri can Vacuum Society.