Nanoindentation

The FT-IO4 Femto-Indenter and the FT-NMT04 in-situ SEM Nanoindenter enable a large variety of tests with a force range of 200 mN and a displacement range of 20 µm. In addition, the patented FemtoTools MEMS-based force sensors provide sub-nanonewton noise floor, which is combined with sub-nanometer noise floor of the fine positioning stage. The FemtoTools Nanoindenters are therefore the ultimate nanoindenters for repeatable, high-resolution indentations at low loads and shallow depths. They enable the quantitative characterization of properties at the nanoscale, with applications in thin films, nanocomposites and nanostructures. Moreover, intrinsic position control enables to characterize load discontinuities linked to dislocation events using nanoindentation at low loads. Typically, the indention follows a Hertzian curve at low loads until the nucleation of dislocations and their interactions with point defects trigger fast stress drops. The direct quantification of stress drop amplitudes enables to measure activation volumes and energies relevant to nanoscale plastic deformation mechanisms.