Tencor P-16 Profilometer

The Tencor P-16 profilometer is a stylus height profilometer designed to measure differences in topography, specifically differences step height differences. The stylus is driven across a surface while applying a constant downward force. Small surface variation cause a slight vertical displacement in the stylus which is recorded over a line scan. The profilometer can resolve step height differences down to the nanometer scale.

The Tencor P-16 profilometer is a characterization tool used for measuring surface topography and is most commonly used for measuring step height differences. The profilometer can also provide surface roughness by scanning an area instead of a single line.