Nanomechanical Tester

NanoFlip

Universal nanomechanical tester with a flip mechanism that transitions between imaging and testing. Measures hardness, modulus, yield strength, stiffness and other nanomechanical properties with high accuracy and precision under both ambient and vacuum conditions.

Product Overview

In situ Nanomechanical Platform: Combines SEM and FIB compatibility with a flip mechanism for seamless transition between sample imaging and mechanical testing.

The NanoFlip provides rapid results by synchronizing SEM images with mechanical test data. Modular options accommodate a variety of applications such as mechanical property maps, frequency-specific dynamic tests, and scratch and wear. The system is powered by electromagnetic transducers to deliver precise measurements and avoid artifacts in the x and y axes. In its standard configuration, the NanoFlip utilizes the InForce 50 force actuator with a modular controller design optimized for upgrades. The system conforms to ISO 14577 to ensure data integrity. The proprietary InView software suite includes RunTest for simplified test setup, ReviewData for data analysis, and InFocus for generating presentation-quality graphs and reports.

Main Features & Capabilities

Flip Mechanism for In Situ Testing

Revolutionary FIB-to-test technology enables seamless transition from FIB to indentation by tilting the sample 90°, allowing combined imaging and mechanical testing without sample transfer.

High-Speed Data Acquisition

Controller electronics with 100kHz data acquisition rate and 20µs time constant capture nanoscale changes in mechanical properties during contact for high-resolution dynamic testing.

SEM Video Synchronization

Integrated SEM video capture provides synchronized SEM images with test data, linking SEM-recorded video to nanoscale changes in mechanical properties for comprehensive analysis.

Pre-Programmed Test Methods

Large suite of pre-programmed nanomechanical test methods for improved ease-of-use, plus proprietary online nanoindentation courses taught by nanoindenter experts.

Modular Upgradeable Platform

Upgradeable, extendible platform for automated nanoindentation testing with interchangeable two-axis load transducer for tribology and lateral force measurement.

Continuous Stiffness Measurement

The CSM option oscillates the probe during indentation to measure stiffness and material properties as a function of depth, force, time, or frequency throughout the loading cycle.

Description & Key Benefits

Flip Mechanism

Up and Down Positioning: In the Up position, the sample is presented for imaging and targeting with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy or other data inside an SEM. In the Down position, the NanoFlip allows in situ real time video recording of the mechanical test.

Multi-Environment Compatibility

Imaging System Integration: Compatible with optical profilers, scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam, optical microscopes, glove boxes, beam line placement for x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy for simultaneous data collection.

Advanced Options

NanoBlitz 3D and 4D: Rapid mechanical property mapping generates thousands of data points measuring elastic modulus and hardness as a function of x-y position and depth, combined with visualization to assess microstructure differences.

Software Suite

InView Platform: RunTest provides on-screen controls for simplified test setup, ReviewData enables data analysis during or after testing, and InFocus generates presentation-quality graphs and reports with experiment scripting for novel complex experiments.

Versatile Applications

MEMS & Nanoscale Devices

Micropillars, nanoscale devices and micro-electromechanical systems requiring high-precision nanoindentation for hardness, modulus and stiffness characterization.

Metals & Alloys

Bulk and thin-film metallic specimens requiring nanomechanical property measurement under both ambient and vacuum conditions for material science research.

Batteries & Energy Storage

Glove-box compatible for inert environment applications such as battery electrode and electrolyte testing with nanomechanical characterization.

Semiconductor Packaging

Packaging materials, interconnects and thin films in semiconductor devices requiring precise modulus and hardness mapping with NanoBlitz rapid property mapping.

Polymer & Plastics

Soft polymers and other materials with sample geometries or volumes not suitable for standard DMA tests, characterized using ProbeDMA dynamic mechanical analysis.