New metrics for describing atomic force microscopy data of nanostructured surfaces through topological data analysis

The nanoscale topographic features of surfaces, such as vertical, lateral, and multiscale structures, are essential for understanding and identifying correlations with properties in various applications. These features are critical in applications ranging from biomedical devices to electronic components, as they play a significant role in determining the functionality of these systems. Despite the capabilities of traditional surface analysis methods, which rely on standard vertical profile and area measurements, these techniques often fail to capture the subtle and specific features that differentiate between surfaces with different morphologies. To address this challenge, this paper proposes applying of a topological data analysis of atomic force microscopy data to create a unique topological signature for each surface. This approach can help us better understand complex relationships between topography and functional characteristics in various applications and enable further advanced surface comparison.