The aim of this study was to evaluate the three‐dimensional (3D) surface micromorphology of zinc/silver particles (Zn/AgPs) composite coatings with antibacterial activity prepared using an electrodeposition technique. These 3D nanostructures were investigated over square areas of 5 μm × 5 μm by atomic force microscopy (AFM), fractal, and wavelet analysis. The fractal analysis of 3D surface roughness revealed that (Zn/AgPs) composite coatings have fractal geometry. Triangulation method, based on the linear interpolation type, applied for AFM data was employed in order to characterise the surfaces topographically (in amplitude, spatial distribution and pattern of surface characteristics). The surface fractal dimension D_f, as well as height values distribution have been determined for the 3D nanostructure surfaces. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:1082–1089, 2015. © 2015 The Authors published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nowadays a geometrical surface structure is usually evaluated with the use of Fourier transform. This type of transform allows for accurate analysis of harmonic components of surface profiles. Due to its fundamentals, Fourier transform is particularly efficient when evaluating periodic signals. Wavelets are the small waves that are oscillatory and limited in the range. Wavelets are special type of sets of basis functions that are useful in the description of function spaces. They are particularly useful for the description of non-continuous and irregular functions that appear most often as responses of real physical systems. Bases of wavelet functions are usually well located in the frequency and in the time domain. In the case of periodic signals, the Fourier transform is still extremely useful. It allows to obtain accurate information on the analyzed surface. Wavelet analysis does not provide as accurate information about the measured surface as the Fourier transform, but it is a useful tool for detection of irregularities of the profile. Therefore, wavelet analysis is the better way to detect scratches or cracks that sometimes occur on the surface. The paper presents the fundamentals of both types of transform. It presents also the comparison of an evaluation of the roundness profile by Fourier and wavelet transforms.