AFM
Surface3D PRO vs. Standard visualization technique.
Better
Visualization for microscopy
Visualization of the data is one of the most important tasks
of AFM processing software. While AFM / SPM / STM instruments
have been significantly improved in accuracy during last several
years, the visualization part of the software used by most
of the researchers remains more or less the same for many
years. In figures below we demonstrate how you can benefit
from better data visualization. Figures 1 and 2 are standard
2D and nonrealistic 3D (also called pseudo 3D) with data information
lost marked. Basically with traditional visualization it is
almost impossible to see small height structures of the object
on big backgrounds or slopes. Live realistic 3D is free of
this restrictions.
Fig.1. AFM cell standard 2D height image. Features missed
in the representation are marked as follows:
1. small features on the top of the cell
2. small features on the sides of the cell
3. structure missed at low level close to background
Fig.2. AFM cell standard pseudo 3D height
image. Features missed in the representation are marked as
follows:
1. spot on the top of the cell
2. structure of the top
3. structure of the high slope
4. structure of
low height position is hidden by background
5. structure of the low slope
Fig.3. AFM cell
our realistic 3D height image. Features revealed:
1. spots on the top of the cell
2. structure of the top
3. structure of the high slope
4. structure of
low height position is hidden by background
5. structure of the low slope
Fig.3.
AFM cell rendered with ScienceGL software as photorealistic
3D height image. The structure of the top is enhanced with
inclined light processing.
The features on any part of the image can be measured with
various interactive 3D tools. In the sample above the volume
tool is used to measure structures on the top of the cell.
