iNano® Nanoindenter

iNano

iNano^®nanoindenter makes measuring thin films, coatings and small volumes of material easy. The accurate, flexible, user-friendly nanoindentation testing instrument can perform a wide range of nanoscale mechanical tests including indentation, hardness, scratch and universal nanoscale testing. The large dynamic range of force and displacement measurements allow materials from soft polymers to metals to be tested with accuracy and repeatability. Modular options of the iNano can accommodate a variety of applications: material property maps, frequency-specific testing, scratch and wear testing and high-temperature testing. The iNano nanoindenter has a complete suite of options to expand testing, including sample heating, continuous stiffness measurement, NanoBlitz 3D/4D property mapping and the remote video option.

The iNano nanoindenter features the InForce 50 actuator for performing nanoindentation and universal nanomechanical tests. The 50mN force and 50µm displacement range of the InForce 50 allow the system to perform a wide range of tests. The InView software is a flexible, modern software package that makes nanoscale testing easy. The iNano is a compact platform with the high-speed InQuest controller and vibration isolation gantry built in to the enclosure. An extensive range of materials and devices can be tested, including metals, ceramics, composites, thin films, coatings, polymers, biomaterials and gels.

Features

InForce 50 actuator for capacitance displacement measurement and electromagnetic force actuation with interchangeable tips

Unique software-integrated tip-calibration system for fast, accurate tip calibration

InQuest high-speed controller electronics with 100kHz data acquisition rate and 20µs time constant

XY motion system with easy mounting magnetic sample holder

Integrated microscope with digital zoom for precise indentation targeting

ISO 14577 and standardized test methods

InView software package with RunTest, ReviewData, InFocus reporting, InView University online training and InView mobile application

Industries

Universities, research labs and institutes

Semiconductor and packaging industries

Polymers and plastics

MEMS: Micro-electro-mechanical systems/nanoscale universal testing

Ceramics and glass

Biomaterials and pharmaceuticals

medicals

Coatings and paints

Polymer manufacturing

Coatings and paints

Batteries and Energy Storage

Applications

Hardness and modulus measurements (Oliver-Pharr)

Thin films characterization

ISO 14577 hardness testing

Polymer tan delta, storage and loss modulus

High temperature nanoindentation testing

■连续刚度测量（CSM）

Continuous stiffness measurement is used to quantify dynamic material properties, such as strain rate and frequency-induced effects. The CSM technique involves oscillating the probe during indentation to measure properties as a function of depth, force, time, or frequency. The option comes with a constant strain rate experiment that measures hardness and modulus as a function of depth or load, which is the most common test method used across academia and industry. CSM is also used for other advanced measurement options, including the ProbeDMA™ method for storage and loss modulus measurements and AccuFilm™ substrate-independent measurements. The CSM is integrated into the InQuest controller and InView software to deliver ease of use and data quality.

■300°C Sample Heating

The 300°C sample heating option allows the sample to be placed into a chamber for uniform heating while simultaneously undergoing tests with either the InForce 1000 or InForce 50 actuators. The option includes high-precision temperature control, inert gas backfill to reduce oxidation, and cooling to remove waste heat. ProbeDMA, AccuFilm, NanoBlitz and CSM are all compatible with the sample heating option.

■NanoBlitz 3D

NanoBlitz 3D utilizes the InForce 50 or InForce 1000 actuator and a Berkovich tip to generate 3D maps of nanomechanical properties for high-E (> 3GPa) materials. NanoBlitz performs up to 90,000 indents (300×300 array) at < 1s per indent, and provides Young’s modulus (E), hardness (H), and stiffness (S) values at a specified load for each indent in the array. The large number of tests enables increased statistical accuracy. Histogram charts show multiple phases or materials. The NanoBlitz 3D package includes visualization and data handling capabilities.

■NanoBlitz 4D

NanoBlitz 4D utilizes the InForce 50 or InForce 1000 actuator and a Berkovich tip to generate 4D maps of nanomechanical properties for both low-E/H and high-E (> 3GPa) materials. NanoBlitz performs up to 10,000 indents (100×100 array) at 5-10s per indent, and provides Young’s modulus (E), hardness (H), and stiffness (S) values as a function of depth for each indent in the array. NanoBlitz 4D utilizes a constant strain rate method. The package includes visualization and data handling capabilities.

■AccuFilm™ Thin Film Method Pack

The AccuFilm Thin Film Method Pack is an InView test method based on the Hay-Crawford model for measuring substrate-independent material properties using Continuous Stiffness Measurement (CSM). AccuFilm corrects for substrate influence on film measurements for hard films on soft substrates, as well as for soft films on hard substrates.

■ProbeDMA™ Polymer Method Pack

The Polymer Pack provides the ability to measure the complex modulus of polymers as a function of frequency. The pack includes a flat-punch tip, a viscoelastic reference material, and a test method for evaluation of viscoelastic properties. This measurement technique is key to characterizing nanoscale polymers and polymer films that are not well-served by traditional dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) test instruments.

■Biomaterials Method Pack

The Biomaterials Method Pack provides the ability to measure the complex modulus of biomaterials with shear moduli on the order of 1kPa, and utilizes Continuous Stiffness Measurement (CSM). The pack includes a flat-punch tip and a test method for evaluation of viscoelastic properties. This measurement technique is key to characterizing small scale biomaterials that are not well-served by traditional rheometer instruments.

■Scratch and Wear Testing Method Pack

Scratch testing involves the application of either a constant or ramped load to an indenter while moving across the sample surface at a specified velocity. Scratch testing allows characterization of numerous materials such as thin films, brittle ceramics and polymers.

■DataBurst

DataBurst enables systems equipped with InView software and the InQuest controller to record displacement data at rates > 1kHz for measuring high strain step loads, pop-in and other high speed events. iMicro systems outfitted with the User Method Development option can also modify methods to work with DataBurst.

■User Method Development for InView Control Software

InView is a powerful, intuitive experiment-scripting platform that can be used for designing novel or complex experiments. Experienced users can set up and perform virtually any small-scale mechanical test using the iMicro system equipped with the exclusive InView option.

■Active Vibration Isolation with Modular Rack System

The optional high-performance active vibration isolation system provides additional vibration isolation for the iMicro nanoindenter, on top of its built-in vibration isolation. This easy-to-install system provides vibration reduction in all six degrees of freedom, with no tuning required. A Modular Rack System houses all components conveniently within an integrated rack.

■True Test I-V Electrical Measurements

Controlled through the InView software, the True Test I-V option for the iMicro nanoindenter utilizes a precision ammeter and voltage source, a through-tip electrical path, and a conductive tip. This design allows the user to apply specific voltages to a sample and measure the current at the tip while simultaneously operating the InForce 50 or InForce 1000 actuator.

■Linear Optical Encoders

The Linear Optical Encoder (LOE) option for the iMicro is integrated into the X and Y motion stages, and increases the positional accuracy and throughput of the testing process.

■Indenter Tips and Calibration Samples

The InForce 50 and InForce 1000 actuators utilize interchangeable tips. A wide variety of sharp indenters are available, such as Berkovich, cube corner and Vickers, as well as flat punches, sphere punches, and other geometries. Standard reference materials and calibration standards are also available for the entire product line.

Remote Video option

The Remote Video Option provides two more viewing angles within the iNano chamber, in addition to the existing microscope objective. One bracket is mounted for focusing on the indenter tip during the test, an ideal setup for flexures and soft materials. The second bracket mounts on the gantry for viewing both the sample and the microscope objective during test setup. Switching the view between the standard microscope objective and the USB camera is software-controlled.

■Coating Hardness and Modulus Measurements (Oliver-Pharr)

Mechanical characterization is critical in the process and manufacture of films, including the quality of coatings in the automotive industry, as well as during process control of front-end and back-end semiconductor manufacturing. The iMicro nanoindenter is capable of measuring the hardness and modulus of coatings for a wide variety of materials, from ultra-soft gels to hard coatings. The high speed assessment of these properties enables quality control and assurance on production lines.

■High Speed Material Property Maps

For many materials, including composites, the mechanical properties may vary widely from one area to the next. The iMicro provides a sample stage movement of 100mm in the X and Y axes, and 25mm in the Z axis, allowing testing of a wide range of sample heights over a large sample area. The optional NanoBlitz Topography and Tomography software can quickly generate color maps of any of the measured mechanical properties.

■Yield stress/strain

The iMicro nanoindenter includes a pre-written ISO 14577 Test Method that measures material hardness in compliance with the ISO 14577 standard. This test method automatically measures and reports Young’s modulus, instrumented hardness, Vickers hardness and the normalized work-of-indentation.

■ISO 14577 hardness testing

The iMicro nanoindenter is capable of measuring both tan delta and the storage and loss modulus for ultra-soft materials, including viscoelastic polymers. Storage and loss modulus and tan delta are important properties of viscoelastic polymers, whose energy is stored as elastic energy and dissipated as heat. Both of these metrics measure energy dissipation in a given material.

■High temperature nanoindentation testing

Nanoindentation at elevated temperatures is critical to characterizing material performance under thermal stress, especially for quantifying failure mechanisms during thermomechanical processing. Varying the sample temperature during mechanical testing enables not only measurement of thermal-induced behavioral changes, but also quantification of transition plasticity of materials that are not easily tested on the nano-scale.

KLA_AppNote_Stylus_SIMS_Crater.pdf