Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano SystemsCompared to atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical measurement methods (such as chromatic white light), the characterization of surfaces using a surface profilometer is a tactile measurement method. This means that a stylus applies a defined force to the sample surface and moves along a predetermined path at a preset speed. The system records the vertical movements of the stylus during the measurement, with the resulting data presented as a profile over the measured distance.
The system records the vertical movements of the stylus during the measurement, with the resulting data presented as a profile over the measured distance.
Based on the measured profile, various parameters can be calculated using specific software:
- Roughness (Ra, Rq, Rz, Rt, Rv, Rp)
- Step heights
- Layer thicknesses
- Waviness
