Analysis of surface roughness using confocal microscopy

Confocal microscopy provides a convenient means of acquiring three-dimensional descriptions of objects. A new technique exploits the capability of confocal microscopy to quantify rough surfaces. The microscope "optically" sections the surface, and a computer transforms a series of sections into digital images and a topographic map. Using a straightforward algorithm, the computer analyses the topographic map to derive a roughness parameter that characterizes the texture of the surface.