Part of the Oxford Instruments Group
The iX05 is an operando nanoindenter. It is designed to measure local mechanical properties in real-world conditions such as high temperatures, low temperatures, high strain rates, or in liquid environments.
Traditional nanoindenters are optimized to measure materials in laboratory conditions. However, materials in practical applications often experience extreme environments that strongly influence their mechanical behavior. The iX05 is optimized to test materials in conditions representative of their targeted application.
The iX05 combines the high resolution and speed offered by MEMS-based technology with fast control electronics and environment control, making it the ultimate tool for measuring and visualizing mechanical properties of materials in a wide range of testing conditions.
The iX05 operando nanoindentation system offers high-temperature testing up to +800°C and cryo-temperature testing down to -150°C. It features a motorized chamber with environment control for testing in an inert gas atmosphere or high vacuum, minimizing oxidation and contamination.
-150 °C to +800 °C |
down to 5⋅ 10-4 mBar |
|
| Temperature range | Operating pressure |
The iX05 offers ultra-fast nanoindentation capabilities, allowing nanoindentation mapping at up to 30 indentations per second. It delivers unmatched performance at high speeds by combining FemtoTools MEMS force sensors with ultra-fast electronics to provide sampling rate of 2 MHz and feedback frequency of 500 kHz.
up to 2N |
down to 100 pn |
|
| Temperature range | Force noise floor (at 10 Hz) |
The iX05 offers ultra-high resolution nanoindentation capabilities, to detect even the smallest variations in hardness and elastic modulus. It features displacement sensing with a noise floor below 5 pm over a range of 20 um, spanning 7 orders of magnitude. The instrument also includes interchangeable MEMS-based force sensors for SI-traceable force metrology, ranging from 100 pN (noise floor) to 2 N, covering 10 orders of magnitude. To ensure accuracy and precision, the iX05 comes with automated, high-precision calibration procedures, allowing for seamless use.
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 | 800 °C | Vacuum |
The Cryogenic Temperature Module uses liquid nitrogen as a cooling agent to achieve temperatures as low as -150°C, allowing experiments to be conducted at extremely low temperatures. By operating under high-vacuum conditions, the iX05 effectively prevents condensation-related issues, ensuring smooth and reliable experimentation at cryogenic temperatures.
| Temperature range | Condensation prevention | |
| Cryogenic Module | -150 °C | Vacuum |
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 ultra-fast mapping module boosts the speed of indentation from 3 indents per second to up to 30 indents per second, enabling the generation of high-resolution maps with over 90’000 indents in under an hour. The specialized sample stage is essential for rapidly accelerating, stopping, stabilizing, performing the nanoindentation measurement, and then accelerating to the next indent position in under 33 milliseconds, all while maintaining exceptional accuracy.
| Indentation speed | |
| Ultra-Fast Mapping Module | 30 Indents/s |
The 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.
| Range | Noise Floor (10 Hz) | |
| S200 | +/- 200 μN | 0.1 nN |
| S2’000 | +/- 2’000 μN | 0.5 nN |
| S20’000 | +/- 20’000 μN | 5 nN |
| S200’000 | +/- 200’000 μN | 50 nN |
| S2’000’000 | +/- 2’000’000 μN | 500 nN |
The 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.
| Range | Noise Floor (10 Hz) | |
| Normal | +/- 20’000 μN | 10 nN |
| Tangential | +/- 20’000 μN | 10 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 | 100 nN |
If you have any questions, or would like to speak to an expert or request pricing, we will reply to your enquiry shortly.
Get In Touch
FemtoTools AG, Furtbachstrasse 4, 8107 Buchs/ZH, Switzerland, CHE-113.745.251
© Oxford Instruments 2025