NanoScope Analysis - step height - significant figures

Don Chernoff posted on Mon, Jul 13 2015 6:40 PM

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This message concerns features that are inferior in NanoScope Analysis when compared with a benchmark software, NanoScope ver 5.31r1.

1) In NanoScope Analysis, Section analysis provides a high precision measurement but Step Height analysis does not.

-In section analysis, the vertical difference between two points is reported with 3 digits after the decimal point.
Example: 200.123 nm

-In step height analysis, the same data gives a displayed step height of 200 nm, with no digits after the decimal point.  Only 3 significant figures are provided.

This difference in display precision is ironic, because the step height value deserves more precision, not less. In step height analysis, the elevation of the upper and lower levels is based on an average of a selected range of data points. In section analysis, the height difference is based on single point values.  

The above is true for offline analysis in version 6 software and in NanoScope Analysis thru version 1.5, as far as I know.

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However, in offline analysis in version 5 Nanoscope software, the step height analysis displays height with up to 5 significant figures. Example: 200.12 nm.

Is there any version of NanoScope Analysis where the additional digits I need can be displayed?

2) In NA and NS ver6, section and step height analysis region of interest boxes are drawn using the Rotating box object, which has the annoying property that it can be expanded only from its center.  This makes it nearly impossible to draw an ROI box that runs the full width or height of the imiage.  In ver5, the edges of the ROI box can be dragged individually.  Is there any version of NA where the ROI feature can do  this?

Thanks for your attention.

-Don