Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mphil-in-micro-and-nanotechnology-enterprise-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2018/paper-1/section-b/7/ii/solution
Past exam of the MPhil in micro- and nanotechnology enterprise course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 1 Section B 7 ii Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-20
Measure pit dimensions from calibrated height data after background correction, with an explicit pit-boundary convention. Preserve the raw image, lateral calibration and acquisition settings. Level the surrounding terraces and correct line offsets with the pits excluded from the fit; otherwise the deep features bias the background.
Segment each depression relative to its local surface, for example by a reproducible height threshold or a fitted rim. Inspect segmentation overlaid on the image. For noncircular pits, report a metric such as equivalent-area diameteror maximum and minimum caliper diameters, rather than pretending every pit has a circular rim. Apply the same definition to all objects and exclude overlapping or edge-truncated pits where appropriate.
The visible scale bar can calibrate a rendered image approximately, while the original pixel-spacing metadata is preferable. The vertical scale is not a lateral calibration. Estimate uncertainty from pixels, threshold choice, background fits and repeated scans. The tip may be unable to enter narrow pits, so measured depths and diameters require a tip convolution assessment or a sharper calibrated probe. Finally classify populations only against independently validated size/type evidence; the image alone does not establish a universal diameter cutoff for edge, screw and mixed dislocations.
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