Angular-resolved light scattering (ARS) is a technique that provides non-contact information on material surface structures, such as roughness or microfacets, while revealing also diffractive microstructures and surface anisotropies. In this work, we present our ARS system, which uses linear diode arrays arranged to perform a motorized scan of the upper hemisphere to detect backscattered laser light from the sample surface. The automation of the system includes automated data recording and analysis using LabView and Python, respectively, for the generation of polar plots of the backscattered light. We present the ARS system, along with its automated operation, as well as results obtained on various calibration tests samples. Finally, we discuss ARS data obtained for various micromachined metal surfaces, such as defined roughness standards and laser engraved polished steel surfaces. The obtained results are consistent with geometrical surface patterns observed in optical microscopy. ARS is promising for automated quality control of machined surfaces and automated recognition of ARS signatures of nano-and microstructured surfaces for advanced anti-counterfeit security features.
