Nanoindenter iMicro (KLA)
Nanoindenter iMicro (KLA)
Nanoindentation is the method of choice for measuring hardness and elastic modulus with submicrometric resolution. For this purpose, the iMicro Nanoindenter represents a programmable, highly automated system that is ideally suited for large series of measurements. Hundreds of measurements can be pre-programmed. This makes it possible, for example, to measure hardness and elastic modulus profiles in boundary regions or hardness mappings of microstructural components.
In addition, novel nanoindentation methods can be developed via the InView programming language to access mechanical material properties beyond hardness and Young's modulus on the nanoscale, such as creep and fatigue properties. In doing so, the department can draw on Prof. Merle's many years of expertise. The iMicro has also been used for his first experiments with nanoindentation at high strain rates.
Most recently, the iMicro is also very well suited for conducting micro compression tests ("micropillar compression").
Specifications
The microscope and the highly rigid chassis for actuator and specimen holder are fixed in the housing, while the indentation tip can be exchanged depending on the application.
- max load 1 N
- max. displacement distance 80 µm
- displacement resolution 0.004 nm
- max. Measuring frequency 100 kHz up to 30 s long (HighSpeed / DataBurst)
- Available tips: Berkovich, Cube-Corner, Spherical, Flat Punch.
Acknowledgements
This equipment is part of a project that has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 949626).