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Santa Barbara, CA, May 24, 2001 — Digital Instruments, Veeco Metrology Group announces the release of "Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM): Complementary Techniques for High Resolution Surface Investigations" by Dr. Phil Russell of North Carolina State University. There are a wide range of analytical techniques which may be used for materials characterization depending on the type of information needed. For high resolution surface investigations, two commonly used techniques are AFM and SEM. Each of these techniques resolves surface structure down to the nanometer scale. However, the image formation mechanisms are quite different, resulting in different types of information about the surface structure. The occurrence of the SEM and AFM side-by-side is becoming more common in today's analytical laboratories. This article compares and contrasts the two techniques with respect to specific types of surface measurements, and demonstrates how these analytical techniques provide information which is complementary in nature.

In addition, this paper may be viewed and downloaded (via PDF format) by accessing www.di.com and selecting the Application Notes button on the front page. A live presentation of this paper may also be viewed by accessing the PittCon webcast link listed under "What's New" on the same site, or by ordering a copy of the presentation on video tape (VHS) from marym@di.com.

Veeco Instruments Inc., headquartered in Plainview, New York is a worldwide leader in metrology tools for the data storage, semiconductor and research and scientific markets; and process equipment etch and deposition tools for the data storage and opto-telecommunications markets. Manufacturing and engineering facilities are located in New York, California, Colorado, Virginia, and Arizona. Global sales and service offices are located throughout the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia Pacific.