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In situ mechanical observations during nanoindentation inside a high-resolution scanning electron microscope

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Abstract

In nanoindentation, the occurrence of cracks, pileup, sink-in, or film delamination adds additional complexity to the analysis of the load–displacement curves. Many techniques and analysis methods have been used to extract both qualitative and quantitative information from the indentation test both during and after the test. Much of this information is obtained indirectly or may even be overlooked by current testing methods (e.g., cracks that open only during the loading cycle of the test may go unnoticed from a typical residual indentation analysis). Here we report on the development of a miniature depth-sensing nanoindentation instrument and its integration into a high-resolution scanning electron microscope. Real-time observation of the nanoindentation test via scanning electron microscopy allows for visualization and detection of certain events such as crack initiation, pileup, or sink-in, and other material deformation phenomena. Initial results from aluminum 〈100〉 and a thin gold film (∼225 nm) are presented.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank T.J. Wyrobek for supporting the project. We are grateful to S. Hoesli and E. Pieper for help and discussions regarding design and vacuum compatibility of mechanical parts and for machining some of them, and to K. Wasmer for fruitful discussions. The force–displacement transducer and associated controller/software were developed under a United States Department of Energy SBIR grant (No. DE-FG02-04ER83979) awarded to Hysitron, Inc. We thank Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research, EU FP6 project MASMICRO (No. 03.0225, NMP2-CT-2004-500095) for additional financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and Research—EMPA, CH-3602, Thun, Switzerland

    K.A. Rzepiejewska-Malyska, G. Buerki & J. Michler

  2. Hysitron, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55344, USA

    R.C. Major, E. Cyrankowski, S.A.S. Asif & O.L. Warren

Authors
  1. K.A. Rzepiejewska-Malyska
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  2. G. Buerki
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  3. J. Michler
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  4. R.C. Major
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  5. E. Cyrankowski
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  6. S.A.S. Asif
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  7. O.L. Warren
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Correspondence to K.A. Rzepiejewska-Malyska.

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Rzepiejewska-Malyska, K., Buerki, G., Michler, J. et al. In situ mechanical observations during nanoindentation inside a high-resolution scanning electron microscope. Journal of Materials Research 23, 1973–1979 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2008.0240

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2008.0240

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