Nanoindenter
First Claim
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1. An assembly, comprising:
- a cantilever based instrument which includes an area that is adapted for connection to a cantilever, an actuator, and sensors for measuring displacement and force; and
an indenter portion, including an indenter probe, said indenter portion being movable to move perpendicularly relative to a sample being measured, wherein said indenter probe is located in said area of said connection to said cantilever and that replaces said cantilever in said instrument, and uses the same actuator and sensors as said cantilever based instrument, wherein said indenter portion forms a module which is installed in the cantilever based instrument in place of a cantilever holder, wherein said indenter portion includes a monolithic three-dimensional flexure through which the indenter probe is moved by said actuator in a Z axis direction, which is a direction perpendicular to a plane of the flexure and perpendicular to the sample.
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Abstract
A new type of indenter is described. This device combines certain sensing and structural elements of atomic force microscopy with a module designed for the use of indentation probes, conventional diamond and otherwise, as well as unconventional designs, to produce high resolution and otherwise superior indentation measurements.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An assembly, comprising:
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a cantilever based instrument which includes an area that is adapted for connection to a cantilever, an actuator, and sensors for measuring displacement and force; and an indenter portion, including an indenter probe, said indenter portion being movable to move perpendicularly relative to a sample being measured, wherein said indenter probe is located in said area of said connection to said cantilever and that replaces said cantilever in said instrument, and uses the same actuator and sensors as said cantilever based instrument, wherein said indenter portion forms a module which is installed in the cantilever based instrument in place of a cantilever holder, wherein said indenter portion includes a monolithic three-dimensional flexure through which the indenter probe is moved by said actuator in a Z axis direction, which is a direction perpendicular to a plane of the flexure and perpendicular to the sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An assembly, comprising:
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a cantilever based instrument which includes a connection to a cantilever, an actuator for said cantilever portion, and sensors for measuring displacement and force; and an indenter portion, including an indenter probe, said indenter portion being movable to move perpendicularly relative to a sample being measured, wherein said indenter probe connects in a location which connects to said connection to said cantilever in place of a cantilever in said instrument, and uses the same actuator and sensors as said cantilever based instrument, wherein said indenter portion forms a module which is installed in the cantilever based instrument in place of a cantilever holder, wherein said indenter portion includes an assembled three-dimensional flexure having a circular outer shape through which the indenter probe is moved by said actuator in a Z axis direction. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An assembly, comprising:
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a cantilever based instrument which includes a connection to a cantilever, an actuator for said connection, and sensors for measuring displacement and force of said connection; an indenter portion, including an indenter probe, said indenter portion being movable to move perpendicularly relative to a sample being measured, wherein said indenter probe connects in a location which connects to said connection to said cantilever in place of a cantilever in said instrument, and uses the same actuator and sensors as said cantilever based instrument; and an angular change element, that detects linear changes in the indenter probe and converts such changes into angular changes which can be detected by the sensors. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method, comprising:
- in a first mode at a first time, using a cantilever based instrument which includes a connection to a cantilever, an actuator for said cantilever portion, and sensors which operate for measuring displacement and force of said connection to said cantilever; and
in a second mode at a second time different than the first time, using the instrument which is configured with an indenter portion including an indenter probe, which is movable to move perpendicularly relative to a sample being measured, wherein said indenter probe uses the same actuator and sensors as said cantilever based instrument, wherein said second mode constrains motion of the indenter probe to a motion perpendicular to a plane of the sample being measured using a flexure and,further comprising constraining movement of said flexure beyond a specified amount. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
- in a first mode at a first time, using a cantilever based instrument which includes a connection to a cantilever, an actuator for said cantilever portion, and sensors which operate for measuring displacement and force of said connection to said cantilever; and
Specification