Comprehensive topography characterization of polycrystalline diamond coatings

Abstract The surface topography of diamond coatings strongly affects properties such as adhesion, friction, wear, and biocompatibility. However, the understanding multi-scale topography, its effect on properties, has been hindered by conventional measurement methods, which capture only a single length scale. Here, four different polycrystalline are characterized using transmission electron microscopy to assess roughness down sub-nanometer Then these measurements combined, power spectral density (PSD), with methods (stylus profilometry atomic force microscopy) characterize all scales topography. results demonstrate critical importance measuring across scales, especially because their PSDs cross over one another, that is rougher at larger scale may be smoother smaller vice versa. Furthermore, reveal connection between grain size, characteristic scaling behavior slightly below mean self-affine fractal-like other scales. At small (subgrain) unpolished surfaces exhibit common form residual in nature but difficult detect methods. This approach capturing from atomic- macro-scale termed comprehensive characterization , data made available for further analysis experimentalists theoreticians. Scientifically, this investigation identified regions materials.