iMicro
Flexible, easy-to-use mechanical testing for a wide range of applications and materials. The iMicro is designed for nanoscale mechanical testing including indentation, hardness, scratch testing and universal nanoscale testing. Interchangeable actuators provide a large dynamic range of force and displacement measurements from soft polymers to hard coatings and thin films.
Product Overview
In its standard configuration, the iMicro utilizes the InForce 1000 actuator and a modular controller that allows users to add capabilities as needed. The iMicro gives users the ability to program each transducer for specific measurements and switch between them at any time. The system conforms to ISO 14577 to ensure data integrity. The proprietary InView software suite includes RunTest with on-screen controls, ReviewData for data analysis, and InFocus for generating graphs and reports.
Main Features & Capabilities
InForce 1000 Actuator
Capacitance displacement measurements and electromagnetic force actuation up to 1N with interchangeable tips. Additional 50mN and Gemini 2D actuators for thin films and tribology.
Continuous Stiffness Measurement
Measures stiffness and other material properties during the indentation cycle as a function of depth, force, time, or frequency with constant strain rate experiment.
NanoBlitz 3D Mapping
Quickly and quantitatively maps surface mechanical properties, generating thousands of data points for statistically significant results on rough or heterogeneous materials.
AccuFilm Thin Film Method
Allows characterization of ultra-thin films by correcting for substrate influence using the Hay-Crawford model for measuring hard films on soft substrates or vice versa.
ProbeDMA Local DMA
Enables dynamic mechanical analyses on soft polymers by measuring storage modulus, loss modulus, and loss factor as a function of frequency using the CSM module.
Scratch and Wear Testing
Applies constant or ramped load to an indenter while moving across the sample surface for characterizing thin films, brittle ceramics and polymers.
Description & Key Benefits
System Specifications
| Category | Technical Parameter | Specification Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | Maximum Force | 1 N (InForce 1000) |
| Additional Actuators | 50 mN (thin films), Gemini 2D (tribology) | |
| Actuator Type | Electromagnetic with capacitance displacement | |
| Electronics | Data Acquisition Rate | 100 kHz |
| Electronics | Time Constant | 20 µs |
| Measurement | CSM | Continuous Stiffness Measurement (optional) |
| Thermal | Max Sample Temperature | 300°C (with 1N and 50mN actuators) |
| Compliance | Standard | ISO 14577 |
Versatile Applications
Hard Coatings
Nanoindentation hardness and modulus measurement of protective coatings, thin films, and surface-engineered materials.
Semiconductors
Nanomechanical characterization of wafer-level thin films, low-k dielectrics, and interconnect structures.
Ceramics & Glasses
Fracture toughness, hardness, and scratch resistance evaluation of advanced ceramics and glass materials.
Metals & Alloys
Creep resistance, strain rate sensitivity, and hardness testing of metallic thin films and microstructures.
Automotive & Aerospace
Mechanical property evaluation of structural coatings, composites, and surface treatments for transportation applications.
