QUANTIFICATION OF TOPOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE BY SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY

Several mathematical approaches for quantifying the three-dimensional topographical structure from scanning probe microscopy images are eval uated. Variational, i.e., scale-dependent, roughness based on root-mea n-square roughness, Fourier deconvolution, and the two-dimensional aut ocovariance function are compared for surfaces with widely varying cha racter in order to develop criteria for accurate quantification. Therm ally evaporated gold, a calibration grid, polycrystalline Si3N4, and s ilicon fracture surfaces serve as models for these techniques. The rol e of image artifacts on each approach is detailed. (C) 1997 American V acuum Society.