Nanoscale roughness of oxide glass surfaces

A comparative atomic force microscopy (AFM) study of melt-formed and fracture surfaces of silica and E-glass is reported. It is proposed that the minimum observed nanoscale roughness of a pristine melt-formed surface is controlled by the surface tension of the melt at the glass transition temperature and that the minimum observed nanoscale roughness observed in the mirror region of a fracture surface reflects the intrinsic inhomogeneities in the structure of the glass. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.