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MTA03

Versatility and high resolution, optimized for soft materials

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MTA03 Micromechanical Testing System with open doors.

The MTA03 Micromechanical Testing and Assembly System is a versatile tool for accurately quantifying micro- and nanoscale mechanical properties and dimensions.

It integrates the functions of a nanoindenter, micro-tensile tester, stylus profilometer, and microstructural analyzer. Capable of measuring forces within ±200 mN at a 0.5 nN resolution and displacements from 0.1 nm to 29 mm across three axes, it suits a wide range of applications.

The system is customizable for various testing orientations and equipped with FemtoTools FT-S Microforce Sensing Probes for precise force measurements. It also supports microassembly and sample preparation with FT-G Microgrippers, making it a comprehensive solution for microstructural analysis.

<p>FT-MTA03 Micromechanical Testing System with open doors.</p>
<p>Side view of FemtoTools FT-MTA03 system highlighting its integrated microscope and precision sensing probe for microstructure analysis.</p>
<p>FT-MTA03 Micromechanical Testing System with closed doors.</p>
<p>Close-up of Femto-Indenter tip engaged with material for nanomechanical testing.</p>
<p>Close-up of FT-MTA03's microforce sensing probe performing a measurement on a sample, showcasing lateral actuation.</p>
<p>Side Close-up of FT-MTA03's microforce sensing probe performing a measurement on a sample, showcasing the side microscope.</p>

Unmatched Flexibility
Micromechanical testing device from FemtoTools capable of various tests on materials from ceramics to hydrogels.

The flexible design of the FT-MTA03 makes any type of micromechanical test easy, from nanoindentation, scratch, dynamic mechanical analysis, fatigue, or even testing in liquids. Furthermore, its incredible force-sensing range from 500 pN to 200 mN, allows testing of materials from hard ceramics to soft hydrogels.

Sideview Microscope
FT-MTA03 micromechanical tester with tiltable microscope for observing samples during deformation tests.

With its tiltable microscope, the FT-MTA03 enables the simultaneous observation and mechanical testing of microscale samples over 180°. This makes it possible to obliquely observe the behavior of the sample while it is being deformed.

180°


Tiltable microscope
Unmatched Force Resolution
Close-up of a MEMS-based force sensor with high dynamic range and low noise floor.

Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS)-based force sensors exhibit an unmatched dynamic range of up to 100 kHz, thanks to their exceptionally small mobile mass and high stiffness. Moreover, the small fabrication tolerances of MEMS allow for achieving the lowest possible noise floor, reaching down to 500 pN.

Down to 500 pN


Force noise floor


Soft Materials Testing

Polymers, metamaterials, or bio-inspired materials are critical for modern technologies. Analysis of these soft materials requires systems capable of both large displacements and high force resolution.

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Nanoindentation

Nanoindentation assesses the local mechanical behavior of a material by pressing a sharp tip into its surface and measuring the force needed to create an indent. This technique measures local mechanical properties (including hardness, elastic modulus, strain rate sensitivity, and others) directly from the material's response.

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MEMS Mechanical Testing

For micro-manufacturing development, multiple parameters impact the mechanical properties of MEMS structures. The MTA03 measures stiffness in two orientations, enabling an easy yield rate calculation by identifying functional and defective components.

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Mechanical Microscopy

Nanoindentation mapping, or mechanical microscopy, employs a nanoindenter in a microscope-like manner. It enables the mapping of mechanical properties of intricate microstructures in minutes, thanks to the integration of rapid indentation speeds and precise spatial resolution.

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Correlative Mechanical Microscopy

Correlative mechanical microscopy merges nanoindentation with additional microscopy methods. This integration of various data layers enables precise phase identification by including elemental or crystallographic analysis in the mechanical measurement.

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Strain-Rate Control

Time, like temperature, is a key parameter for materials deformation. Speed determines the active deformation mechanism. Strain-rate control during testing achieves the most consistent results and allows exploring the material's response from creep to impact, even within a single indent.

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High-Temperature Testing

Temperature changes the mechanical behavior of materials. It is crucial for assessing operando mechanical properties, under conditions close to their target application. Using precision MEMS heating to achieve rapid temperature matching and thermal control, stable measurements can be performed even at high temperatures.

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Scratch Testing

Scratch is a critical method for assessing materials’ adhesion, hardness, and resistance to wear - especially for coatings. It provides quantitative data on material durability and performance by scribing a hard tip across the surface and measuring the required force and the resulting topography.

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Application notes

<p>Application note cover featuring cross-section microscopy image showing varying layers within two anodized coatings on aluminum, highlighting differences in mechanical properties.</p>
Mechanical Microscopy of Surface Treatments
 <p>Application note cover featuring microscopy image displaying a Ni—Ta system with correlative mechanical microscopy and compositional gradients.</p>
Correlated Mechanical Microscopy of Compositional Gradients (with EDX)
 <p>Application note cover featuring micrograph showing multiple nanoindentations on a thin film used for assessing mechanical properties.</p>
Nanoindentation of Thin Films: Advantages of CSM
 <p>Application note cover featuring graph depicting reduced modulus versus contact depth from Berkovich indentations on fused silica in four CSM modes.</p>
Influence of Oscillation Amplitudes on Nanoindentation
 <p>Application note cover featuring microscopy of Seymchan meteorite showing mechanical properties correlated with EBSD orientation and EDX Nickel concentration.</p>
Correlated Mechanical Microscopy with EBSD and EDX for Complex Microstructures

Accessories

Microforce Sensing Probes
FT-S Microforce Sensing Probe, versatile in measuring forces with various tip options.

Microforce Sensing Probes

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
Two-Axis Microforce Sensing Probe
FT-S Microforce Sensing Probe, versatile in measuring forces with various tip options.

Two-Axis Microforce Sensing Probe

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

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FemtoTools AG, Furtbachstrasse 4, 8107 Buchs/ZH, Switzerland, CHE-113.745.251

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