AFM Characterization of Thin Films: High-Resolution Topography and Functional Properties

Thin films and coatings play a critical role in everything from food containers to photovoltaics. To meet such varied needs, they are made from every class of material and by numerous processes including physical and chemical vapor deposition techniques, atomic layer deposition, and sol gel processing.1 A key step in developing any new film is characterizing its surface structure and physical properties, whether in engineering commercial products (Figure 1) or pursuing fundamental materials science (Figure 2).