Part V - Applications of three-dimensional surface metrology

Abstract

To be able to present an overall view of the potential applications of three-dimensional (3-D) surface metrology, this chapter discusses some examples of practical uses where recently developed 3-D surface measurement and characterization techniques have been used. These applications cover not only conventional engineering areas, but also nontraditional areas such as bioengineering and physics. The system setups are illustrated through the use of photographs of the instruments in use. A number of 3-D characterization techniques are used to analyze the measurement results. The vast range of applications of 3-D surface metrology rely on the development of suitably advanced instruments—namely, stylus instruments, optical instruments (including focus detection and interferometry), and scanning probe microscopes (including scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM)). Nowadays, the practical applications of 3-D surface metrology are being tried and adopted in a variety of areas. It is expected that as surface metrology gains wider exposure in both academic and practical fields, more and more applications will be exploited to exhibit its vast potential.