title: Direct measurement of cantilever spring constants and correction for cantilever irregularities using an instrumented indenter.
abstract: A method is presented that allows direct measurement of a wide range of spring constants of cantilevers using an indentation instrument with an integrated optical microscope. An uncertainty of less than 10% can be achieved for spring constants from 0.1 to 10(2) Nm. The technique makes it possible to measure the spring constant at any desired location on a cantilever of any shape, particularly at the tip location of an atomic force microscopy cantilever. The article also demonstrates a technique to detect and correct apparent length anomalies of cantilevers by analyzing spring constants at multiple positions.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA. cying@nsf.gov
authors.forename: Z Charles
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Reitsma
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gates
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016477:Artifacts; D004548:Elasticity; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006245:Hardness Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014159:Transducers