DEVELOPMENT OF A MICRO-MINIATURE NANOINDENTATION INSTRUMENT

Among the various methods for characterizing the mechanical properties of small volume of materials, nano-indentation testing has gained more and more interests, due to its simple principle, the easy realization and application for various specimen, etc. However, nano-indentation instruments often fail to measure the mechanical properties of materials which demonstrate heavy creep, plasticity, etc. To overcome the disadvantages of nano-indentat ion instruments, here a new approach to develop the next generation of nano-indentat ion systems is proposed, in which the well-developed MEMS technique is employed. As one of the key components in the to be developed system, the loading component is now realized by an electrostatic comb-drive actuator, which can generate the required indentation force with high resolution. This micro- miniature indentation system will feature the advantages of small size, low power consumption, high precision in manufacture, the potential for low cost through batch fabrication, the ability for on-site applications, etc. In this paper the design of the MEMS system is detailed, including the simulation of the mechanical system and the system performance.