Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Analysis of NM-Scale Scratches on High-Gloss Tribological Surfaces by Using an Angle-Resolved Light Scattering Method

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Tribology Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper discusses a promising method to investigate defects on high-gloss finished metal surfaces. The main aim is to detect very shallow scratches on such tribological surfaces. The method must be simple in its applicability, insensitive to external disturbances, and sufficiently fast for application in monitoring industrial processes. To achieve this, the principle of light scattering is used by scanning a surface with a compact scattering light sensor using a red LED as a light source. The reflected light is scattered into a specular part and a diffuse part, and collected by a one-dimensional CCD-array. The detected intensity distribution of the scattered light depends on the topography of the reflecting surface. Significant variations in the intensity profile will permit to identify the surface defects. With this system we were able to detect scratches on high-gloss metal sheets with a typical width of 1 μm and a depth as small as 40 nm. The geometrical dimensions of these shallow scratches have been determined with a confocal white light microscope.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

Aq:

Discrete variance of the intensity distribution

M :

Mean value of the distribution

I :

Normalized scattered light intensity

H :

Normalized scattered light intensity density function

φ i :

Scattering angle

References

  1. Thomas, T.R.: Surface Roughness Measurement: Alternatives to the Stylus. In: Proceedings, Nineteenth International MTDR Conference, pp. 383-396. Macmillan, London (1979)

  2. Brodmann, R., Gersthofer, O., Thurn, G.: Optical roughness measuring instrument for fine machined surfaces. Opt. Eng. 24(3), 408–413 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Persson, U.: In-process measurement of surface roughness using light scattering. Wear 215, 54–58 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Tay, C.J., Quan, C.: A parametric study on surface roughness evaluation of semi-conductor wafers by laser scattering. Optik 114(1), 1–6 (2003)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Le Bosse, J.C., Hansali, G., Lopez, J., Dumas, J.C.: Characterisation of surface roughness by laser light scattering: diffusely scattered intensity measurement. Wear 224, 236–244 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Le Bosse, J.C., Hansali, G., Lopez, J., Mathia, T.: Characterisation of surface roughness by laser light scattering: specularly scattered intensity measurement. Wear 209, 328–337 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Vorburger, T.V., Teague, E.C.: Optical techniques for on-line measurement of surface topography. Precis. Eng. 3(2), 61–83 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Beckmann, P., Spizzichino, A.: The Scattering of Electromagnetic Waves from Rough Surfaces, Artech House Inc. (1987)

  9. Ragheb, H., Hancock, E.R.: The modified Beckmann-Kirchhoff scattering theory for rough surface analysis. Pattern Recogn. 40, 2004–2020 (2007)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Becker, J.-M., Grousson, S., Jourlin, M.: Surface state analysis by means of confocal microscopy. Cem. Concr. Compos. 23, 255–259 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Austrian Kplus-program (governmental funding program for pre-competitive research) via the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the TecNet Capital GmbH (Province of Niederösterreich) and has been carried out within the Austrian Center of Competence for Tribology (AC2T research GmbH).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. AC²T Research GmbH, Austrian Center of Competence for Tribology, Vienna, Austria

    J. Böhm & M. Jech

  2. Institute of Sensors and Actuator Systems, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna , Austria

    M. Vellekoop

Authors
  1. J. Böhm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Jech
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Vellekoop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Böhm.

Additional information

Aq, M, I, and H are relative quantities and dimensionless. The quantity φ i is the angle in degrees in which the reflected light is scattered.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Böhm, J., Jech, M. & Vellekoop, M. Analysis of NM-Scale Scratches on High-Gloss Tribological Surfaces by Using an Angle-Resolved Light Scattering Method. Tribol Lett 37, 209–214 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-009-9517-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-009-9517-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation