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We present an advanced image analysis study of the 3D surfaces of silver/diamond-like carbon nanocomposite films prepared by radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. Atomic force microscopy data were analysed, with the goal to provide image analysis tools allowing for a better understanding of the structure-property correlation, with specific case for the present material. While the samples' fractal dimension decreased and the roughness increased with increasing deposition time, fractal succolarity showed no significant difference and relatively high values, describing high percolation, and fractal lacunarity decreased, in agreement with topographic entropy, which revealed uniformity in height distribution. In conclusion, the samples' microtexture shows a nearly uniform surface with a homogenous distribution of nanoparticles, due to the fabrication process and the emerging fractal nature of the nanocomposite, at all the considered deposition times. Fractal lacunarity and succolarity, currently not provided by commercial image analysis programmes, can be useful in advanced surface image characterization.

The purpose of this work is to study the dependence of AFM-data reliability on scanning rate. The three-dimensional (3D) surface topography of the samples with different micro-motifs is investigated. The analysis of surface metrics for estimation of artifacts from inappropriate scanning rate is presented. Fractal analysis was done by cube counting method and evaluation of statistical metrics was carrying out on the basis of AFM-data. Combination of quantitate parameters is also presented in graphs for every measurement. The results indicate that the sensitivity to scanning rate growths with fractal dimension of the sample. This approach allows describing the distortion of the images against scanning rate and could be applied for dependences on the other measurement parameters. The article explains the relevance and comparison of fractal and statistical surface parameters for characterization of data distortion caused by inappropriate choice of scanning rate.

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In this study, Cu thin films with layer thicknesses of 5, 25, and 50 nm were prepared by DC magnetron-sputtering method and their three dimensional (3-D) surface topography were investigated. Concretely, the 3-D surface roughness of samples was studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), fractal analysis of the 3-D AFM-images and power spectral density (PSD) function. Also the content of thin films was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The thin films were prepared onto glass and p-type silicon (100) substrates by DC magnetron-sputtering method and were studied over square areas of 4.4 lm 9 4.4 lm using AFM and fractal analysis. The 3-D surface morphology revealed the fractal geometry of Cu thin films at nanometer scale, which can be quantitatively estimated by the fractal dimension D f that was determined by cube counting method, based on the linear interpolation type. The results from AFM data indicated the possible presence of superstructures on the growth process of Cu nanostructures that were in relatively good agreement with XRD data and PSD.

The aim of this study is to characterize the surface topography of aluminum nitride (AlN) epilayers prepared by magnetron sputtering using the surface statistical parameters, according to ISO 25178-2:2012. To understand the effect of temperature on the epilayer structure, the surface topography was investigated through atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM data and analysis of surface statistical parameters indicated the dependence of morphology of the epilayers on their growth conditions. The surface statistical parameters provide important information about surface texture and are useful for manufacturers in developing AlN thin films with improved surface characteristics. These results are also important for understanding the nanoscale phenomena at the contacts between rough surfaces, such as the area of contact, the interfacial separation, and the adhesive and frictional properties.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the three‐dimensional (3D) surface micromorphology of zinc/silver particles (Zn/AgPs) composite coatings with antibacterial activity prepared using an electrodeposition technique. These 3D nanostructures were investigated over square areas of 5 μm × 5 μm by atomic force microscopy (AFM), fractal, and wavelet analysis. The fractal analysis of 3D surface roughness revealed that (Zn/AgPs) composite coatings have fractal geometry. Triangulation method, based on the linear interpolation type, applied for AFM data was employed in order to characterise the surfaces topographically (in amplitude, spatial distribution and pattern of surface characteristics). The surface fractal dimension D f, as well as height values distribution have been determined for the 3D nanostructure surfaces. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:1082–1089, 2015. © 2015 The Authors published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.