Features of determination of the surface roughness using scanning probe microscopy

Abstract

Changes in the roughness of the surface of a solid measured using scanning probe microscopy are analyzed as functions of the scan-region- and scanning-step sizes. It is shown that the measured roughness varies in accordance with the sine law as a function of the scanning step. The dependence of the surface roughness on the scan-region size is complicated and consists of several areas. If the scan region is larger than the surface element (grain, growth island), then two areas determined by the mutual arrangement of individual surface elements and by the influence of the macrorelief are observed in the dependence of the surface roughness.