title: Note: Nanomechanical characterization of soft materials using a micro-machined nanoforce transducer with an FIB-made pyramidal tip.
abstract: The quantitative nanomechanical characterization of soft materials using the nanoindentation tech-nique requires further improvements in the performances of instruments, including their force resolution in particular. A micro-machined silicon nanoforce transducer based upon electrostatic comb drives featuring the force and depth resolutions down to ∼1 nN and 0.2 nm, respectively, is described. At the end of the MEMS transducer's main shaft, a pyramidal tip is fabricated using a focused ion beam facility. A proof-of-principle setup with this MEMS nanoindenter has been established to measure the mechanical properties of soft polydimethylsiloxane. First measurement results demonstrate that the prototype measurement system is able to quantitatively characterize soft materials with elastic moduli down to a few MPa.
authors.affiliation: Phyikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Phyikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Phyikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.identifier: 0000000242934982
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiller
authors.affiliation: Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -Prüfung, 12205 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.identifier: 0000000167260112
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wollschläger
authors.affiliation: Phyikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pohlenz