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The i04 Femto-Indenter is a high-resolution nanomechanical testing system capable of accurately quantifying the mechanical and tribological properties of materials at the micro- and nanoscale.
As the world’s first MEMS-based nanoindenter, the i04 uses FemtoTools patented Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) technology. Leveraging over two decades of innovations, this nanoindenter provides unmatched resolution, repeatability, and dynamic stability.
The i04 Femto-Indenter is optimized for the mechanical testing of metals, ceramics, thin films and coatings, as well as more compliant microstructures such as metamaterials.
Typical applications include the quantification of hardness and elastic modulus, mechanical property mapping, and additional modules for scratch, SPM imaging, and high-temperature testing.
Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS)-based force sensors have an unmatched dynamic range of up to 100 kHz, thanks to their exceptionally small mobile mass and high stiffness. Moreover, the fine fabrication tolerances of MEMS achieve the lowest possible noise floor, reaching down to 500 pN.
up to100 kHz |
down to 500pN |
|
| Resonance frequency | Force noise floor |
A key quality metric of a nanoindenter is its ability to accurately measure indentation depth. This is limited by the noise floor (resolution) of the displacement sensor. With an unmatched noise floor of <50 pm, the FT-I04 Femto-Indenter achieves excellent results even at the most shallow depths, as shown here with repeatable indentation curves to only 5 nm on quartz glass.
< 50 pm |
||
| Displacement noise floor |
Displacement-controlled nanoindentation is essential for measuring and comparing mechanical properties at consistent indentation depths, ensuring the probing of equivalent material volumes.
Native displacement control | ||
| Control mode |
The high-temperature module enables mechanical testing, such as nanoindentation, at controlled temperatures up to 400°C in an inert gas atmosphere. In combination with our microforce sensing probes featuring tip heating, controlled isotherm testing is possible.
| Temperature range | Oxidation prevention | |
| High-Temperature Module | 400 °C | Inert gas flooding |
Combining an exchangeable sample stage with a piezoscanner and a FemtoTools 2-Axis Microforce Sensing Probe enables advanced techniques, such as nano-scratch and nano-wear testing, as well as SPM imaging, by facilitating the in-plane movement of the sample while simultaneously applying a normal force.
| Travel range | Noise floor | |
| Piezo-Scanner | 250 µm | 0.4 nm |
The FT-S Microforce Sensing Probes are sensors capable of measuring forces from sub-nanonewton to 2 newtons along the sensor’s probe axis. They are available with a wide variety of tip materials and geometries, including diamond Berkovich, cube corner, flat punch, wedge, conical, and more.
| Force range | Force resolution (noise at 10 Hz) | |
| FT-S200 | +/- 200 µN | 500 pN |
| FT-S2’000 | +/- 2 mN | 5 nN |
| FT-S20’000 | +/- 20 mN | 50 nN |
| FT-S200’000 | +/- 200 mN | 500 nN |
| FT-S2’000’000 | +/- 2 N | 5 µN |
The FT-S Two-Axis Microforce Sensing Probes are Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) based multi-axis microforce sensors capable of simultaneous measuring forces in the two in-plane directions. The primary application for these sensors is nano-scratch, nano-tribology and nano-wear testing.
| Force range | Force resolution (at 10 Hz) | |
| Force Sensing | +/- 20 mN | 100 nN |
| Tangential Force Sensing | +/- 20 mN | 100 nN |
The High-Temperature Microforce Sensing Probes are Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) based microforce sensors capable of measuring forces from 200mN to 2 µN. Furthermore, with the monolithically integrated tip heater, the temperature of the nanoindenter tip can be accurately matched to the temperature of the sample, enabling isothermal testing conditions.
| Force range | Force resolution (noise at 10 Hz) | |
| FT-S200'000-HT | +/- 200 mN | 1 µN |
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