Picture processing and three-dimensional visualization of data from scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopy

We present an overview of the current status of picture processing and three-dimensional visualization of data from scanning tunneling microscopy and related techniques. The topics we cover include the physical basis of the resolution limit and noise sources in scanning microscopes, the design and restoration filters, and methods of visualizing surface contours and other surface properties by use of shadowing, contour lines, and superimposed colors. Postprocessed images of gold, graphite, biological molecules, the active zone of a laser diode, and silicon illustrate the outstanding quality of these methods.