A metrological scanning force microscope used for coating thickness and other topographical measurements

A commercial scanning force microscope (SFM) has been modified by the incorporation of three miniature laser interferometers, and new calibration methods have been applied so that requirements resulting from traceability of measurement results to metrological primary standards can be better fulfilled. The progress attainable in this way refers to the accurate positioning of the probe with respect to the points to be sampled on the surface. The paper gives a brief introduction to the SFM and the interferometers, the approach to three-dimensional calibration of the SFM, selected calibration results and the compensation of calibration errors by the control software of the SFM. The SFM is applied to the determination of the coating thickness of corresponding artefacts. These results are consistent with those achieved by interference optical microscopy.