Examples

Below you will find examples of operations which can be performed by SPIP™. Although the examples cover far from all the features included in SPIP™, they should give you an introduction to the versatility of the software.

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3D Visualization of Weak Structures
The 3D Visualization Studio allows inspection of image details by interactive rotation, positioning, and scaling of images. It is possible to emulate up-to 8 light sources that can interact with definable surface color properties. When a 3D graphics card is available SPIP™ will take full advantage of it and the intuitive mouse interface can provide the feeling of real-time control.
Module(s): 3D Visualization Studio

Area of Interest (AOI) Support
The Area of Interest (AOI) utilities are useful for including or excluding certain areas from analysis and corrections, or to define pixels as void pixels.
Module(s): 3D Visualization Studio, Basic, Correlation Averaging, Extended Fourier Analysis, Filter, Particle & Pore Analysis, Roughness & Hardness Analysis, Tip Characterization

Batch Processing and Automation
The SPIP™ Batch Processor is the perfect tool and time saver for analyzing large series of images and creating detailed reports with images and statistical numbers.
Module(s): Batch Processing & Reporting

CITS Screen Dump
The Screen dump shows a topographic image together with a current image for a selected bias voltage.
Module(s): CITS Continuous Imaging Tunneling Spectroscopy

Correlation Averaging of Self Assembled Molecules
Self-assembled Didodecyl-benzene molecules from a STM image have been averaged and the average image exhibits the finer details of the inner molecular structure.
Module(s): Correlation Averaging

Critical Dimensions
To achieve robust and accurate measurements of critical dimensions of line and trench widths, step height and sidewall angles SPIP™ has build in tools for deducing such parameters by use of the ISO 5436 step height measurement standard. The philosophy behind the ISO 5436 standard is to measure the average heights at plateaus with some distance from the edges and achieve robust results not influenced by edges.
Module(s): Calibration

Dimension Ruler
Decorate your images with a ruler to show dimensions.
Module(s): Basic

Filtering by Gaussian Smoothing Filter
The example illustrates a Gaussian smoothing filtering process.
Module(s): Filter

Force Curve Analysis and Worm-Like Chain Modeling
The example shows a worm-like chain model analysis from a protein pull off experiment. The protein has been attached to the AFM tip and during the pull off process more unfolding events occur. From the individual unfolding events the contour length is quantified.
Module(s): Filter, Force Curve Analysis

Force Curve Analysis, Detection of Max Load and Pull-Off Force
The example shows how the Force vs. Separation curve can be calculated from a normal force curve containing the cantilever deflection signal as function of the surface height.
Module(s): Force Curve Analysis

Fourier Analysis, Unit Cell Detection and Calibration
The example shows how automated Fourier analysis can detect lattice structures and quantify unit cell with high accuracy. When using well-know reference structures the technique can also be applied for calibration.
Module(s): Calibration, Extended Fourier Analysis

Fourier Band Pass Filtering
The Example demonstrates interactive Fourier filtering by a Butterworth filter where low-pass and high pass results are obtained simultaneously in almost real-time. This way the image is separated into long waves and short waves images.
Module(s): Extended Fourier Analysis

Fourier Filtering by Magnitude
The example demonstrates an interactive Fourier filtering process where weak Fourier components are removed. This eliminates most of the random noise and produces a sharper image.
Module(s): Extended Fourier Analysis

Fourier Selective Filtering of HOPG
The example demonstrates an interactive filtering process of a Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite image, where Fourier components not associated with the atomic lattice structure are removed.
Module(s): Extended Fourier Analysis

Grain Analysis by Watershed Multi Scale Segmentation
The example demonstrates detection of particles located at different height levels by use of the Watershed Multi Scale Segmentation algorithm that can detect the most difficult segments even when located at different levels.
Module(s): Particle & Pore Analysis

Hardness Analysis
This example demonstrates a hardness analysis based on an indentation imprint.
Module(s): Roughness & Hardness Analysis

Height Calibration by Histogram Analysis
Illustrates how the step height and z-correction factor can be deduced from a calibration sample.
Module(s): Calibration

Image Calculator
The Image Calculator can be used to combine and modify images through pixel-wise algebraic operations.
Module(s): Basic

ImageMet Browser
Screen dump examples of the ImageMet Browser, which is part of the ImageMet Explorer™
Module(s): Imagemet Explorer

ImageMet Finder
The ImageMet Finder enables you to search the database for files with certain characteristics including numerical results within defined ranges.
Module(s): Imagemet Explorer

ImageMet Reporter
The ImageMet Reporter can create image lists in HTML format containing optional characteristics and results stored in the ImageMet Explorer™ database.
Module(s): Imagemet Explorer

Interactive Measurement Tools
Measure more than 25 different parameters for lines, circles, ellipses, and polygons.
Module(s): Basic

Lateral Linearity Evaluation and Correction
No images are perfect; typical SPM images have more than two percent linearity distortion in the X and Y dimensions. Based on a calibration sample SPIP™ can automatically measure the distortion and create a 3rd order correction model and correct the image.
Module(s): Calibration

Movie of Ag on Ag 111 Dynamics
The movie shows STM time series images of Ag on Ag 111, 70 nm x 70 nm.
Module(s): 3D Visualization Studio, Movie & Time Series Analysis

Movie of Dimer diffusion on Pt(110)-(1×2)
The movie shows STM time series images of Pt on Pt110, 20 nm x 20 nm, The frames have been drift compensated in and x and y and slope corrected by SPIP™.
Module(s): Movie & Time Series Analysis

Multi Line Profiling
The multi profiling tool is part of the basic module and allows you to handle more profiles in the same window and study similarities in detail and calculate Mean and SD curves. You can even compare profiles from more images and synchronize their position so that differences between "before" and "after" images can be investigated.
Module(s): Basic

Plane Correction
Plane correction example showing images before and after correction of image bow and scan line distortions.
Module(s): Basic

Plug-In C++ Averaging Example
The example contains averaging C++ code that can be used to average mages as well as profiles or force curves.
Module(s): Plug-In Interface

Plug-In Visual Basic Example
The example contains Visual Basic code to invert an image and view it in 3D. The code can automatically be generated by the Wizard and modified for other purposes.
Module(s): Plug-In Interface

Pore Analysis by Threshold
The example shows how pores can be detected interactively by defining a threshold value using the color bar marker.
Module(s): Particle & Pore Analysis

Removal of Line Artifacts by Median Filtering
The median filter is good for removing extreme values and preserving the other pixel values. Therefore, it can often successfully be applied for correcting typical scanning artifacts as demonstrated below.
Module(s): Filter

Roughness Analysis
SPIP™ includes more than 20 parameters by which a surface structure can be characterized including the "Birmingham 14".
Module(s): Roughness & Hardness Analysis

Roughness Analysis Screen Dump
A screen dump example from a roughness analysis.
Module(s): Roughness & Hardness Analysis

Separation of Images into Waviness and Roughness Images by Filtering
The example shows how an image can be separated into Waviness and Roughness images by use of a large Gaussian Filter kernel. This might often be desirable when measuring roughness within specific wavelength intervals.
Module(s): Filter, Roughness & Hardness Analysis

Tip Characterization and Image Correction
The example demonstrates tip characterization of a double tip based on tip characterizer structure (TGT01, Silicon MDT) and correction of the tip artifact.
Module(s): 3D Visualization Studio, Tip Characterization

Tip Characterization and SEM Comparison
Comparison analysis of an AFM Si3N4 tip imaged by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and characterized from an AFM image using a commercial tip characterizer (TGT01, MikroMasch).
Module(s): Tip Characterization

Tip Characterization by TipCheck Sample
Tip characterization by image analysis requires surface structures with slopes steeper than that of the tip. This is true for the TipCheck sample, which makes it possible to extract an image of the most outer 35 nm of the tip used for scanning.
Module(s): Tip Characterization

Z-Measurement and Calibration by an ISO 5436 Based Algorithm
The philosophy behind the ISO 5436 standard is to measure the average heights at plateaus with some distance from the edges and achieve robust results not influenced by edges.
Module(s): Calibration