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in Nanomechanical TestingUnbridled Innovation
The InSEM is a tool for characterizing the mechanical properties of surfaces or structures with sub-nanometer resolution in an in-situ vacuum environment such as an SEM or FIB.
The SEM/FIB environment has been called “the lab of the future.” Any test you can imagine in a macro-lab environ-ment has unique advantages, and some applications are not possible without the targeting or visualization capabilities of the SEM. InSEM is designed to seamlessly integrate high-resolution mechanical testing capabilities into a wide range of SEMs.
The InSEM system consists of three main components:
1) InForce Actuator2) InView Software 3) InQuest Controller
The InSEM™ MicroprobeInSEM is designed to be modular and flexible to enable a wide range of applications. As port availability on SEM/FIB chambers is often an issue, Nanomechanics, Inc. has designed InSEM to mount to a variety of ports, or to be mounted directly on the SEM stage. As different applications call for different system configurations, InSEM can easily be moved from one port to another or assembled into the on-stage configuration.
About Nanomechanics
Materials science Semiconductors Biomaterials Polymers MEMS Nanofabrication Nanostructured
materials
Thin films Coatings And a variety of
other research and commercial interests
Applications for Nanomechanics’ products include:
Nanomechanics is comprised of scientists and engineers with unparalleled expertise in materials science, precision mechanical design, and advanced instrumentation software.
Nanomechanics, Inc. has stayed at the leading edge of technology focused on nano-scale mechanical testing. The reason for this success is because we take a comprehensive approach to developing quality solutions for our customers.
Since the early 1980s, the staff at Nanomechanics, Inc. has been revolutionizing the field of nano mechanical testing. With more than 10,000 citations, we have the credentials to back that up.
Dr. Warren Oliver
Nanomechanics, Inc. was founded to provide nanoindentation instruments for use inside an SEM, or other vacuum environments, for a broad range of clients in academic, research, and industry applications.
The staff at Nano-mechanics, guided by Dr. Warren Oliver, invented the nanoindenter in the 1980s and have been at the forefront of nano-mechanical testing for more than 25 years.
About InQuest and InView
InView
Control of the system is performed by our state-of-the- art and specially developed InQuest Controller. The InQuest allows for quasi-static and dynamic control in the same compact package.
Running the InQuest is as simple as hooking it up to any laptop or the provided all-in-one PC. Another advantage of the InQuest controller is the speeds at which data collection occurs.
InQuest
The InQuest is rated at 100 kHz and allows for industry leading dynamic range of 50 microns that can be precisely measured below .05 nm.With a small footprint, the
InQuest control station limits the amount of lab space required for InSEM.
InView software is optimally designed to perform a wide range of tests while seamlessly synchronizing to the SEM video feed.
The second component of InSEM is the InView Software. InView allows users to precisely control the experiment while removing the complex control tasks needed to make the system work.
Because of its ease-of-use and well-thought-out design, InView provides quick and easy ramp up for new users. Reviewing data is simple, and InView makes it easy to generate presentation-ready plots immediately. Video synchronization is completed through our proprietary software that captures the live image from your SEM and stores it with your mechanical test data.
Mounting can be done on any available port or directly on the stage, making InSEM the perfect solution for multiuser facilities. Changing ports or removing InSEM can be accomplished in a matter of minutes and can easily be done without specialized tools.
About InForce 50The actuator has many unique features and allows for integration into a wide range of SEMs on the market.
InForce 50 actuator mounted to an InSEM III for use on the stage of any SEM.
InForce 50 has an industry leading load capacity of 50 mN.
Benefits:• Can be left on the chamber and retracted when not in use
• Can perform FIB-to-test processes
• Certain test angles are easier to obtain
• Adjustment to the probe position can be performed from outside the chamber
• Does not compromise image resolution of microscope
• Minimizes use of SEM/FIB space
• Affordable on any budget
Benefits:• Can be left on the chamber and retracted when not in use
• Can perform FIB-to-test processes
• Certain test angles are easier to obtain
• Adjustment to the probe position can be performed from outside the chamber
• Minimizes use of SEM/FIB space
• Allows automation of tests by using a stage-mounted micropositioner
• Does not compromise image resolution of microscope
Benefits:• Requires less port space
• Can utilize goniometers for angular adjustment of the sample
• Doesn’t depend on the port to determine the test angle
Applications:Pillar compressionTensionIndentationEBSDCantileversParticle crushNanowiresMEMS
Applications:Automation/bulk testingPillar compressionTensionIndentationEBSDCantileversParticle crushNanowiresMEMS
Applications:Automation/bulk testingPillar compressionTensionIndentationEBSDCantileversParticle crushNanowiresMEMS
InSEM IThe InSEM I is a chamber-mounted linear actuator that positions the probe at a fixed angle relative to the SEM beam. This configuration minimizes the use of space around the SEM/FIB electron/ion column.
InSEM ConfigurationsInSEMs can be configured in one of three ways allowing for both stage and port mounting options in any SEM or FIB, giving you maximum flexibility for all your testing requirements.
InSEM IIThe InSEM II combines many of the advantages of the InSEM I and InSEM III by utilizing a micropositioner on the chamber-mounted arm. The micro-positioner is used to retract the probe.
InSEM IIIThe InSEM III is a “cradle” option that mounts to the SEM stage. The angle between the sample and probe is fixed, but the SEM stage can be used to intro-duce tilt angles. The micropositioner can be used in batch mode for auto-matic testing of bulk samples.
Since the device is chamber mounted, it minimizes the use of SEM/FIB space around the electron/ion column, but still allows for automation of bulk testing via the stage-mounted micropositioners.
The device retracts to allow full use of the SEM/FIB and other detectors, is highly rigid in the test axis, and is the most economical of our systems.
This configuration requires very little port space and can use many of the ports on the SEM chamber without concern for the resulting test angle.
Benefits:• Can be left on the chamber and retracted when not in use
• Can perform FIB-to-test processes
• Certain test angles are easier to obtain
• Adjustment to the probe position can be performed from outside the chamber
• Minimizes use of SEM/FIB space
• Allows automation of tests by using a stage-mounted micropositioner
• Does not compromise image resolution of microscope
Applications:Automation/bulk testingPillar compressionTensionIndentationEBSDCantileversParticle crushNanowiresMEMS
Today’s modern labs require unique systems such as InSEM for a wide variety of tests and experiments. Whether in institutional labora-tories in the world’s leading universities or in private and public sector R&D facilities, the applications for InSEM are truly limitless.
Materials that can be tested by our products include, but are not limited to: metals, semi-conductors, biomaterials, polymers, MEMS, nanostructured materials, thin films, coatings, and a variety of other research and commercial products.
Uses for InSEM
Elastic modulus and hardness testing Tensile testing Dynamic nanoindentation High temperature nanoindentation
(up to 500˚C) Substrate independent nanoindentation results Viscoelastic polymer testing Viscoelastic properties mapping Fracture toughness and fracture initiation Particle crush tests Impact testing High precision nanoindentation Stress vs. strain
There are numerous other tests, including EBSD, EDS, and X-Ray, that can be performed with InSEM and Nanomechanics can also cus-tomize all products to fit the needs of particular experiments and applications.
Tests that can be done with InSEM include:
DynamicsThe scientists at Nanomechanics, Inc. have developed and used dynamic measurement techniques for more than 25 years. Operating nanomechanical actuators in dynamic mode allows for continuous measurement of contact stiffness or dynamic testing of viscoelastic properties such as storage and loss modulus.
Independent control of the tip and sample temperatures is integrated with multi-location thermocouple feedback, active cooling, and of course the precision and dynamic range of the mechanical test system itself.
High Temperature
The unique combination of low noise, high resolution, and fast response of the InSEM system is shown in this figure. The clear definition in the displacement measurement signal of an imposed 100 Hz dynamic excitation with a 1 nm RMS amplitude demonstrates these unique capabilities. Normally such a signal is only measured with frequency specific (lock-in) techniques.
As the demand for materials that can be used in extreme conditions continues to rise, the need for testing them in high temperature environments rises with it. Nanomechanics, Inc. has positioned itself well to meet this need by developing its InSEM system to operate isothermally (heating both the tip and sample) at temperatures over 500˚C.
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