The course emphasizes quantifying, measuring and understanding scatter. Optical scatter, originally used almost exclusively to characterize the stray light generated by optically smooth surfaces, is now being used as a fast, economical way to monitor the surface texture requirements in a variety of industry applications. For example, as the lighting industry moves to LED’s scatter from a huge number of components is being measured for analysis in stray radiation codes. Texture is an important requirement for the metal producing industry and it changes with roll wear. The appearance of every day appliances (from door hinges to computer cases) varies dramatically with texture. The quality of flat panel displays depends on the scatter characteristics of the screen and components behind it. SEMI and ASTM have responded to the new applications with "scatter standards" to help communication between manufacturers, vendors and customers. The course starts with easier to analyze optical applications and then explores the transition to rougher industry surfaces, where the measurements are easier, but the analysis is harder. Between a good optical mirror and a concrete sidewalk there are thousands of industry surfaces that can be monitored with scatter metrology. There are two key points for these "in-between" surfaces: (1) If the texture changes - the scatter changes and (2) these changes (and product quality) cannot be adequately monitored by a single variable - such as RMS Roughness, Haze or Gloss. Students are asked to share as much as they can of their scatter metrology issues.

Optical scatter can be used as a sensitive indicator of surface and bulk defects in many processes. In its various quantitative forms (BRDF, TIS, DSC), it has been used to calculate and map component parameters such as surface texture statistics, particle size, stray radiation and surface appearance. Originally used almost exclusively in the optics industry, it is now finding use as a source of fast, non-contact metrology in a variety of industries where defect-free surfaces are important (defense optics, semiconductors, computer disks, flat panel displays, and surface appearance). The use of scattering standards in the semiconductor industry has become much more important over the last ten years and SEMI has introduced a suite of written standards that are useful across many industries. The course emphasizes quantifying, understanding and measuring scatter. Modeling scatter is emphasized in SC492 taught by Thomas Germer.