Surface roughness is one component of describing how the shape of a surface deviates from its ideal form, where higher values correspond to rougher surfaces while lower values indicate the surface is smooth. Roughness describes high spatial frequency errors, meaning very small deviations on the order of Angstroms (10-10 m). Understanding the surface roughness of optical surfaces is critical to control light scatter, as scatter can be proportional to the surface roughness of the optics. Light scattering and absorption from surface roughness have a significant impact on applications such as high-power laser systems, which can negatively impact the efficiency and laser damage threshold. In addition to impacting damage threshold, scattered high-power laser radiation can be a safety hazard for anyone near the system, as the light is being redirected in unintended directions. The current standard utilized for surface roughness is ISO 10110-8, which defines how surface roughness should be analyzed and specified.

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