SEM observation of the “orange peel effect” of materials

This study investigated the peculiar “orange peel” effect often observed in nanomaterials using high-resolution scanning electron microscopes. The study used different materials, including semiconductor thin films and ceramic nanoparticles. The investigation established that the “orange peel” is of an artifact caused by the metallic coating of the samples in sample preparation. This discovery is important in eliminating the misinterpretation of such effect on the true surface feature of materials, hence avoiding the confusion in the discussion of the properties of nanomaterials.