Influence of tip geometry on fractal analysis of atomic force microscopy images

• Fractal analysis of data from atomic force microscopy (AFM) is often necessary for studying surfaces with scale-invariant roughness. However, the fractal parameters are influenced by the finite-sized tip geometry of the AFM stylus. We make an extended study of such little-known effects. The so-called successive random algorithm is used to generate by computer ideal fractal surfaces with known fractal dimensions and varying height magnitudes. Tip-distorted AFM images are simulated from the ideal surfaces for the case of a strictly geometrical interaction between surface and tip. The AFM-induced error, taken as the difference in estimated parameters between ideal and distorted images, is shown to be largest for small scan sizes and high fractal dimensions. The dependence on AFM tip radius and surface height magnitude is analyzed by the structure function, variance and a Fourier method. The latter is shown to be unreliable for analyzing AFM images. We exemplify how the results can be applied to AFM images of real surfaces.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Annan fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Other Physics Topics (hsv//eng)

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Physics

Fysik

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