Selecting suitable image dimensions for scanning probe microscopy

The use of scanning probe microscopy to acquire topographical information from surfaces with nanoscale features is now a common occurrence in scientific and engineering research. Image sizes can be orders of magnitude greater than the height of the features being analysed, and there is often a trade-off between image quality and acquisition time. This work investigates a commonly encountered problem in nanometrology - how to choose a scan size which is representative of the entire sample. The topographies of a variety of samples are investigated, including metals, polymers, and thin films.