Inspecting a Surface¶
Three optical and probe tools at the MPaCT Lab in Flagstaff, Arizona, look at a surface. They answer different questions. A colour photograph is not a roughness number, and a millimetre map is not a 50 µm AFM scan.
Start here: do you need a picture, a millimetre-scale height map, or a nanometre height on a small patch?
Decision table¶
| Digital microscopy | Optical profilometry | AFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output | Colour image, on-screen 2D measure | Calibrated 3D height, Ra, Rq, step height | Calibrated nanometre height |
| Field | Set by the objective | Up to 50 × 50 mm | 50 × 50 µm |
| Contact | None | None | Physical tip |
| Chemistry | None | None | None |
| Instrument at MPaCT | Keyence VHX-7000 | Keyence VK-X3000 | AFM Workshop B-2 |
SEM still owns morphology plus composition. This page is for the three tools people confuse with each other before they reach vacuum.
Choose by the question¶
"What does this defect look like in colour?" - VHX-7000.
"What is Ra over a millimetre?" - VK-X3000.
"What is the height of this 40 µm patch in nanometres?" - AFM.
"Is the film continuous, and what is it made of?" - SEM, not these three.
A full microscopy decision that includes TEM is TEM vs SEM vs AFM.
Frequently asked questions¶
Should I use a digital microscope, an optical profiler, or AFM?¶
Use the VHX-7000 when you need a colour image and an on-screen measurement. Use the VK-X3000 when you need calibrated roughness or step height over millimetres. Use the AFM Workshop B-2 when you need a nanometre height map on a 50 by 50 micrometre patch. They are not substitutes.
Can a digital microscope replace AFM for roughness?¶
No. A focus-stacked image looks three-dimensional. It is not a calibrated height map. Ra and Rq over millimetres belong on the VK-X3000. Nanometre roughness on a small, flat patch belongs on the B-2.
MPaCT Lab - Building 98E, South Engineering Lab
561 E Pine Knoll Dr, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Phone: 928-523-2343 · Email: mpct.nano@nau.edu