Evaluating Scanning Electron Microscopy for the Measurement of Small-Scale Topography

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beschorner KE ; Chadha V ; Ding R ; Jacobs TDB ; Miller, Nadia C.
• Description:
  For predicting surface performance, multiscale topography analysis consistently outperforms standard roughness metrics; however, surface-characterization tools limit the range of sizes that can be measured. Therefore, we evaluate the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to systematically measure small-scale topography. While others have employed SEM for similar purposes, the novelty of this investigation lies in the development and validation of a simple, flexible procedure that can be applied to a wide range of materials and geometries. First, we established four different options that can be used for sample preparation, and we measured quantitative topography of each using the SEM. Then the power spectral density (PSD) was used to compare topography among the four preparations, and against other techniques. A statistical comparison of PSDs demonstrated that SEM topography measurements outperformed AFM measurements at scales below 100 nm and were statistically indistinguishable from (highly labor-intensive) TEM measurements down to 16 nm. The limitations of SEM-based topography were quantified and discussed. Overall, the results show a simple generalizable method for revealing small-scale topography. When combined with traditional stylus profilometry, this technique characterizes surface topography across almost seven orders of magnitude, from 1 cm down to 16 nm, facilitating the use of physical models to predict performance. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Surface Topography Floors Power Spectral Density PSD Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM Statistical Analysis Surface Properties Surface Roughness Parameters TEM Topography Transmission Electron Microscopy Ultrananocrystalline Diamond UNCD Walking Surfaces

  More +
• ISSN:
  051-672X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  12
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070862
• Citation:
  Surf Topogr Metrol Prop 2024 Jul; 12(3):035010
• Contact Point Address:
  Tevis D B Jacobs, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States of America
• Email:
  tjacobs@pitt.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Performing Organization:
  University of Pittsburgh
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20210930
• Source Full Name:
  Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties
• End Date:
  20230929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:32522b97febe82a642dbb4d7094ee8d2c34513b8b1d604d768ccdcd1459268d043ff3138214cd3536be880d92b9b5b42e03cddb0f1d73cf9f3b0f7c33141ac98
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208991/cdc_208991_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.08 MB ]