Light scattering for the measurement of surface finish: a review

Abstract
The aim is to review the connection between light scattering and surface finish. Whilst a large amount of theoretical work has been done on light scattering, little work seems to have been done on the connection between actual engineering surfaces and light scattering. The connection between surface parameters and surface function has been well documented, and a tabular summary of this relationship is given. Various methods for measuring the light scattering properties of surfaces classified from a practical and theoretical standpoint with possible applications along with a brief review of general light scattering theory. Finally, the performance of a real time surface inspection system using light scattering is discussed.