Presented for CMA Analytical Workshop 2012

Neal Leddy

surface metrology

Applications
Roughness
 Lay
 Waviness
 Form

Flatness
3D analysis
Step Height
Film thickness
Feature measurement
Radius of curvature

techniques

Tactile
 Stylus
 Atomic force microscopy

Optical
 White light/Laser interferometry
 Confocal microscopy
 Ellipsometry
 Focus variation

probe
cantilever
Diamond stylus
white light (filtered light)
laser
electron beam

piezo electric actuators

the linear electromechanical interaction

between mechanical and electrical state
in crystalline material.

reversible

examples - lead zirconium titinate,

quartz

detector

laser & photodiode

ccd camera

stylus
Diamond probe contacts sample surface

Tip size: >20nm ~ 25um

Direct measurement

Disadvantages contact method, generally

single line,
Advantages fast, widely accepted,
reasonable z resolution

afm

Cantilever tip
 Contact mode
 Non-contact mode
 Tapping mode
 Force modulation
 Phase imaging

Local friction imaging

Surface potential imaging
Electrical conductivity imaging
Magnetic and electric field imaging
Thermal conductivity mapping
Temperature mapping
Modulus mapping

Disadvantages limited sampling area, limited z

range, slow scan speed.

Advantages high resolution, 3 dimensional, large

sample area and vertical range (>10mm)

Cantilever
silicon/silicon nitride
Piezoelectric actuator
Laser
Detector photodiode

wli
White light source

Resolutiuon 0.01 nm

 Scanning mode
 Phase shift mode

Disadvantages requires reflective surface,

lateral resolution (diffraction limit) ~500nm
Advantages high resolution, 3 dimensional,
large sample area and vertical range (>10mm)

wli
white light source
Beam-splitter
reference mirror
interference objective
piezo electric stage
ccd camera

confocal
Typical Scan area: 200 mm X 200 mm

X Resolution: 30 nm to 3 um

Z Range: 300 um to 30 mm

Disadvantages limited z resolution.

Advantages High vertical scan depth, fast
measurement speed.

ellipsometry

Change in polarisation of light reflected/transmitted from a

sample structure. response is dependent on optical properties
and thickness of each material.
film thickness
optical constants
characterise composition,
crystallinity,
roughness,
doping concentration,

Disadvantages limited sample applicability

Advantages transparent films (resolution 1nm ~ 10-15mm)

Light source
Polarizer
(Optional compensator)
Surface reflection
(Optional compensator)
Analyzer (2nd polariszer)
Detector (voltage)

focus variation

Using optics with very little depth of field. Realised using

microscopy like optics and a microscope objective.
These objectives have a high numerical aperture which gives
a small depth of field.
sample or optics moved in relation to each other.
at each position the focus over each plane is calculated
the plane with the best focus gives the depth at that position

Disadvantages resolution (30nm), flat surfaces

(requires form)
Advantages Large scan range, Good for very
rough surfaces

summary of optical
techniques

other techniques

3D stereoscopic reconstruction
 Stereo pair Scanning Electron Microscope

tilted with eucentric stage.

 Algorhitm reconstructs 3d image.

Disadvantages relies on good stereo pairs,

limited z resolution, requires structured surface
Advantages high magnifications

Isotropic vs. anisotropic

Isotropy
Surface presents the same characteristics regardless of the
measurement direction, i.e. surfaces with a random texture
without any distinction or direction

anisotropy
Surfaces encountered with machined or formed features will
have a direction or periodic structure

Isotropic

anisotropic

roughness

Describes the texture of a surface. It is

measure of the vertical deviations of a
real surface from its ideal form.

Roughness: high frequency and short

wavelength

Largely related to surface interactions.

waviness

Describes the surface form.

Waviness: low frequency and usually

long wavelength

Generally a result of manufacture

roughness standards

ASME B46

ISO 4287 profile

ISO 12085
ISO 13565

ISO 25178 aeral surface

Geometrical Product Specifications and

Verification

surface amplitude
Symbol

Name

2D

Unit

3D

Sa

Roughness Average

DIN 4768 ASME B46.1

[nm]

ISO/DIS 25178-2
ASME B46.1

Sq
Ssk
Sku

Root Mean Square

(RMS)

ISO 4287/1 ASME B46.1 [nm]

Surface Skewness

ISO 4287/1
ASME B46.1

ISO/DIS 25178-2

ANSI B.46.1
ASME B46.1

ISO/DIS 25178-2

Surface Kurtosis

ISO/DIS 25178-2
ASME B46.1
ASME B46.1
ASME B46.1

Sz

Peak-Peak

ISO 4287/1

[nm]

ISO/DIS 25178-2

St

Peak-Peak

ASME B46.1

[nm]

ASME B46.1

Sy

Peak-Peak

S10z

Ten Point Height

ANSI B.46.1

Sv

Max Valley Depth

ASME B46.1

ISO/DIS 25178-2
ASME

Sp

Max Peak Height

ASME B46.1

ISO/DIS 25178-2
ASME B46.1

[nm]
[nm]

ISO/DIS 25178-2
ASME B46.1

surface hybrid
Symbol

Name

2D

Unit

3D

Ssc

Mean Summit Curvature

Sti

Texture Index

Sdq

Root Mean Square

Gradient

ISO/DIS 25178-2

Sdq6

Area Root Mean Square

Slope

ASME B46.1

Sdr

Surface Area Ratio

ISO/DIS 25178-2

S2A

Projected Area

nm^2

S3A

Surface Area

nm^2

[1/nm]

Functional parameters
Symbol

Name

2D

Unit

Sbi

Surface Bearing Index

Sci

Core Fluid Retention

Index

Svi

Valley Fluid Retention

Index

Spk

Reduced Summit Height DIN 4776

[nm]

Sk

Core Roughness Depth

DIN 4776

[nm]

Svk

Reduced Valley Depth

DIN 4776

[nm]

Scl-h

l-h% height intervals of

Bearing Curve

ISO 4287

[nm]

3D

Spatial parameters
Symbol

Name

Sds

Density of Summits

2D

Unit

3D
ASME B46.1
[6]

Std

Texture Direction

Stdi

Texture Direction Index

Srw

Dominant Radial Wave

Length

Srwi

Radial Wave Index

dShw

Mean Half Wavelength

Sfd

Fractal Dimension

Scl20

Correlation Length at
20%

Scl37

Correlation Length at
37%

Str20

Texture Aspect Ratio at

20%

Str37

Texture Aspect Ratio at

37%

Symbol

Name

[deg]

[6]
[7]

[nm]

[7]
[7]

[nm]

2D

Unit

3D

bearing ratio

Mathematically it is the cumulative

probability density function of the
surface profile height

calculated by integrating the profile trace

White light interferometry

omniscan microXam

Scanning wli

Surface roughness
Shot Peened Steel:
Surface map

3D Surface

Profile through origin

Profile roughness (2d)

Rq/Ra = 1.22

Surface roughness (3d)

Rq/Ra = 1.25

Rq is more sensitive to peaks and

valleys than Ra, as amplitudes are
squared.

Typically for classic surface

Rq = 1.1(Ra)

surface filtering
Primary surface

waviness

roughness

Primary surface profile

waviness profile

roughness profile

primary surface

waviness surface

roughness surface

primary profile

waviness profile

roughness profile

step height

Step height standard:

Nominal :
8.18 um
Actual :
8.181um

film thickness

advanced feature analysis

Vickers indent:

vickers indent profile

vickers indent calculated hardness

phase mode

Phase mode utilizes narrowly filtered light to perform a

phase shifting of light fringes for acquisition

Achieved by phase shifting one of the interfering beams

along the optical axis.

Reduces system noise and gives best results for very flat
samples.

phase mode

3D Stereoscopic reconstruction

2d sem image of shot peened steel

5tilt
@ working distance
~10mm

mex vs wli

3d SEM reconstruction

White light interferometry

Nettle leaf

Nettle leaf reconstructed tilt series

Flower detail

Flower detail reconstructed tilt series