Intelligent Testing

ZHN – Universal Nanomechanical Testing System

ZHN Nanoindenter - from Micro to Nano

» A high degree of modularity provided by interchangeable measuring heads in normal (20 N / 2 N / 0.2 N) and lateral directions allows realistic modeling of loading conditions.

BENEFIT: mODULARITY

The ZHN universal nanomechanical tester is used for comprehensive, mechanical characterization of thin layers or small surface areas with the necessary force and travel resolution.

This includes measuring indentation hardness, inden-tation modulus, and Martens hardness to ISO 14577 (instrumented indentation testing).

A new dimension

Micro scratch test with failure of coatingMeasurement of particles

Coating development from soft (poly-mer) to hard (diamond-type coatings)

Determination of critical stresses for cracking or plastic deformation

Hard material coatings for tools and as scratch protection

Protective coatings on glass

Paints and sol-gel coatings

Matrix effects in alloys (mapping)

Typical Applications

Automated measurement of hard-ness traverses on transverse cross-section

Nano coatings for sensors and MEMS/NEMS

Biological materials

Ceramic materials and composites

Ion-implanted surfaces

Damage analysis in microelectronics Planning of traverse tests on cutting tools

Outer frame

Inner frame

Piezo

LVDT

LVDT

Force sensor Displacement sensor

Base plate

Sample plate

LVDT

Holding frame

LVDT

Force measuring frame

Piezo

Specimen grips with the specimen in the middle of perpendicularly positioned leaf springs

Can move easily in the lateral direction without a vertical change to the specimen position if sufficient stiffness in the normal direction exists

Force generation decoupled from the force measurement

Application and measurement of lateral forces without lateral movement possible

Lateral Force Unit (LFU)

Movement in the normal direction and high stiffness in the lat-eral direction thanks to the double leaf-spring system

Robust construction

No inductive sensor stop in the event of an overload and thus no damage

The shaft can bear heavier weights without leaving the mea-surement range Any kind of customer-specific probes can be easily used

Normal Force Unit (NFU)

» The QCSM method allows measuring the con-tact stiffness of the sample not only with the help of an unload curve for one depth only, but for many points during the indentation procedure. Thus hardness and indentation modulus can be determined depth-dependent at one and the same position of the sample.

BENEFIT: QCSm mODULe

The ZHN universal nanomechanical tester is derived from ASMEC’s proven nanoindenter technology. In this first-time development, two measuring heads are combined in the normal (nanodindenter principle) and lateral (scratch tester principle) directions, operating completely independently of each other with nanometer resolution.

Lateral force-displacement curves can now be measured for the first time, allowing more material parameters to be obtained than was previously possible (see Typical Applica-tions). This includes measurement of the lateral stiffness and purely elastic lateral deformation of the specimen.

A Testing Concept Offering Versatility and Flexibility

ZHN with NFU View from the back (with optics)

» Continuous measurements of displacement in combina-tion with contact stiffness and lateral force in a scan with a spherical tip allow for the first time the simultaneous mapping of:• Topography• Friction coefficient• Young’s Modulus (storage and loss modulus)• Phase shift

BENEFIT: mAppINg

InspectorX – Intuitive Testing Software InspectorX is the intuitive control and evaluation soft-ware for force-indentation curves used to determine mechanical parameters with the universal ZHN na-noindenter.

InspectorX Testing Softwarewith Surface Scan Module

A large number of predefined applications that may be selected by a simple mouse click is available. Procedures (test cycles) with any number of load-unload segments can be programmed and modified in a very flexible manner. Force or displacement, measuring time and data rate of a segment can be defined in “open loop mode” while in “closed loop mode” the number of data points and the dwell time per point may be set in addition.

Definition of the measuring procedure

The device is designed for fully automatic measurement se-ries with more than 1000 possible measuring positions. The control software InspectorX gives a complete overview of the actual positions of the three precision stages and allows easy control with step sizes below 1 μm.

Any number of positions can be programmed optionally in lines, columns, grids or in irregular arrangement. Unique fea-tures are the possibility to define different measuring proce-dures for every position and to automatically generate pictures with two different magnifications before and after the mea-surement using the autofocus function.

Control of the precision stages

Analyze of a scratch test with overlay of test data

Main view of InspectorX

Choose from various sample holders for your specific sample

Sample holder for 5 samples and related view in the software

Sample holder for 1 big sample up to 80 mm x 80 mm

Sample holder for foils and fibers

Clamping sample holder

Vice sample holder for 2 samples

Sample holder for liquids (to be mounted in the sample holder for 1 sample)

Sample holder for measurements at the tip of injection needles (further custom made versions are possible)

Straightforward standard-compliant testing

5 non-magnetic steel cylinders for sample fixing, diameter 24 mm, height 14 mm

Compensation of different sample heights of up to 8 mm

Isolated holder top for measuring the contact resistance between tip and sample

The samples are fixed by using hard wax

Sample holder for 5 samples of different height

Sample heater up to 400 °C for High Temperature Nanoindentation

» The heater works with passive cooling, so no wa-ter feed pipes are required. This enabled lateral force measurements and scratch tests without a lateral force contribution. In addition, a connection for the gas supply is integrated in order to enable heated tests under a protective gas atmosphere.

HIgH TempeRATURe NANOINDeNTATION

To be able to test the various applications woithout a big effort a bunch of specimen holders is available, including holders with insulated specimen carriers for tip – specimen contact resistance measurement.

Flexible and efficient test lab

Atomic Force Microscope mounted on ZHN, back view

» Nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be combined in a single system to enable comprehensive, automated analysis.

BENEFIT: mODULAR OpTICS

As standard, a tandem microscope and 50x lens guar-antees to define different measuring positions and to automatically generate pictures with two different mag-nifications before and after the measurement using the autofocus function.

Furthermore, it is upgradeable up to 4 different magnifi-cations with a 5x lens, a white light interferometer or an AFM - all fully included in the testing system.

We inspect the nano world with various eyes

Item number 1011428Dimensions (W x H x D) 640 x 790 x 390 mmWeight approx. 105 kgPower supply 230 V NFU Measurement head (Normal Force Unit)Item number 1050945 1016415 1016416 Maximum normal force (1 ± 20 N ± 2 N ± 0.2 NDigital force resolution ≤ 0.2 μN ≤ 0.02 μN ≤ 0.002 μNNoise level force measurement (1σ at 8 Hz) ≤ 20 μN (2 ≤ 2 μN (3 ≤ 0.2 μNMaximum normal displacement (1 ± 200 μm ± 200 μm ± 200 μm Digital displacement resolution ≤ 0.002 nm ≤ 0.002 nm ≤ 0.002 nmNoise level displacement measurement ≤ 0.4 nm (1σ at 8 Hz) ≤ 0.3 nm (1σ at 8 Hz) ≤ 0.2 nm (1σ at closed loop mode)LFU Measurement head (Lateral Force Unit)Item number 1021148Maximum normal force (1 ± 2 NDigital force resolution ≤ 0.02 μNNoise level force measurement ≤ 6 μNMaximum lateral displacement (1 ± 75 μm Digital displacement resolution ≤ 0.002 nmNoise level displacement measurement ≤ 0.5 nmDynamic Module (4

Max. oscillation frequency 300 HzMax. frequency for stiffness analysis 70 HzData acquisition rate 40 kHzMax. force amplitude of the oscillation > 100 mN

Technical Data

(1 push and pull(2 at 2 N, ≤ 65 at 20 N(3 106 signal-to-noise ratio(4 only together with QCSM software module (valid for LFU and NFU)

ZwickRoell gmbH & Co. Kg www.zwickroell.com

August-Nagel-Str.11 D-89079 Ulm

+49 7305 1011-0info@zwickroell.com www.zwickroell.com

» Visit us at ZwickRoell, speak with our experts at our trade show booths, or learn more on our website.

ZwickRoell’s hardness testing machines and instruments are based on many years of experience supplying a wide range of equipment around the world.

Our product line includes a full range of hardness testing equip-ment for use on metals, plastics, rubber and special materials to all the principal and globally established standards.

Hardness Testing with ZwickRoell - from macro to Nano