Interferometer vs Laser Scanning Microscope for Surface Profiling Comparison

This document compares the performance of interferometers and laser scanning confocal microscopes for surface profiling, highlighting the limitations of interferometers with steep angles, low reflectivity, and extreme surface variations. It explains how laser scanning microscopes overcome these challenges using confocal range finding and photomultiplier detection, offering advantages in lateral resolution, slope correction, and measurement accuracy.