Harmonic Analysis of Topographic AFM Images of Nanoscale Globular Structures

• Published in: Surface investigation, x-ray, synchrotron and neutron techniques Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 615 - 622
• Main Authors: Antonets, I. V., Golubev, Ye. A., Shcheglov, V. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.05.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Atomic force microscopy; Chemistry and Materials Science; Fourier analysis; Harmonic analysis; Materials Science; Microscopes; Nanoparticles; Particle size distribution; Scanning probe microscopy; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; image processing; nanoparticles; particle distribution; atomic-force microscopy; particle aggregates; surface morphology; microstructure of dispersed materials; harmonic analysis
• ISSN: 1027-4510; 1819-7094
• DOI: 10.1134/S1027451021030216

An algorithm is considered for the statistical analysis of images of nanoparticles obtained by scanning probe microscopy, based on the harmonic analysis of surface profiles with a complex relief. Using harmonic analysis, the average sizes of particles are determined and the sizes of their aggregates are estimated. The algorithm enables the analysis of large samples of particles; in this work, it is tested using model natural objects with an ordered and disordered arrangement of nanoscale particles. The dependence of the analysis results on the type of particle size distribution is also considered, and the features of determining the average size for Gaussian and logarithmically normal distributions are revealed. Among the possible applications of the algorithm, we can mention analysis of the average size of particles and the value of their aggregation in microdispersed and nanodispersed structures (thin amorphous films, colloidal systems, noncrystalline substances, polymers) based on three-dimensional or pseudo-three-dimensional microscopic images.