Digital Surf: the surface analysis experts

Since 1990, we have been innovating and transforming image and data analysis in profilometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and, more recently, in spectral analysis.

More than 50 leading manufacturers of microscopes and profilometers rely on our expertise. Many of them distribute our software under the Mountains® brand or under their own name, making Mountains® an industry standard worldwide.

Digital Surf® has played a leading role in bringing 3D surface topography to the forefront, not only for profilometers but also for scanning electron microscopes (SEM).

We are also leaders in the international standardization of surface texture analysis. Our active contributions help turn innovation in surface measurement into a shared language and practical tools for the scientific and industrial community.

Our headquarters is located in Besançon, France, a city near Switzerland with a long-standing tradition in microtechnology. Our team of 60 people brings together a wide range of professions, cultures and backgrounds, united by a shared vision.

Interested in working for Digital Surf?

Check out our available job opportunities.

We have a mission: to make the world a better place

Mountains® users are everyday heroes working in fields such as materials science, medical research, quality control, and manufacturing processes. Their work involves understanding the role of a cell in a rare disease, improving the light efficiency of LEDs, or developing third-generation biofuels. The impact of their work helps shape a better future.

That’s why, for over 35 years, we’ve been committed to developing high-quality software solutions that our customers can rely on to achieve meaningful results.

We leverage cutting-edge technologies and the latest advancements in image and surface analysis and often help drive these innovations ourselves.

Our story

Digital Surf was founded in 1989 by two French engineers with a passion for image analysis.

The company began humbly—in a 60 m² apartment loaned by one of the founders’ grandmothers.

We were pioneers in designing and manufacturing 3D scanning profilometers at a time when 2D profilometers were still the standard. Early on, we realized that the software powering our 3D profilometers was attracting strong interest from our competitors.

A few years later, we decided to license our software to them—marking the transition from instrument manufacturer to software publisher. This move laid the foundation for what would become our core expertise.

In 1996, our software, originally developed for Macintosh and later for MS-DOS,was completely redesigned for Windows®. This marked the birth of the Mountains® platform, along with our first product: MountainsMap®, dedicated to surface profilometry.

Each year, more major profilometer manufacturers chose to work with us. In 2008, we made the strategic decision to stop competing with them by manufacturing instruments and to fully dedicate ourselves to our core strength: developing world-class scientific software.

Freed from hardware production, we expanded our software offering to cover new instrument types such as atomic force microscopes (AFM) and scanning electron microscopes (SEM).

In 2012, we launched MountainsSEM®, a software solution for SEM image analysis, with the slogan: “Turn your black and white 2D SEM images into 3D color.” The message resonated: major SEM manufacturers around the world adopted MountainsSEM® and now offer it to their customers.

In 2014, we acquired Danish company Image Metrology, the developer of SPIP®, the reference software for analyzing AFM images. By combining the best of our Mountains® platform with the strengths of SPIP™, we created a new solution: MountainsSPIP®.

In 2021, we introduced spectral and hyperspectral analysis (including EDX, Raman, IR etc.) into our product range. With this, Mountains® now enables users to generate 3D images that reveal both surface topography and local chemical composition.All our software solutions are continuously improved and benefit from new releases every six months.

Today, Mountains® is the go-to solution for engineers, scientists and researchers worldwide when it comes to microscopic surface and image analysis. The software is available in five specialized product families covering profilometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), spectroscopy and optical microscopy plus a multi-instrument solution for cross-technology workflows.

Most major companies around the world rely on Mountains®. In fact, many of the components in the car you drive or the phone you use, regardless of brand, were designed and quality-checked multiple times during production using Mountains®.

But the journey doesn’t end there. Our R&D team continues to push boundaries, delivering ever more powerful and reliable solutions to meet the evolving needs of our users.

Mountains^® software is trusted by the best instrument makers

Digital Surf collaborates with leading scientific institutions