An atomic-force-microscope-based apparatus and method including hardware and software, configured to collect, in a dynamic fashion, and analyze data representing mechanical properties of soft materials on a nanoscale, to map viscoelastic properties of a soft-material sample. The use of the apparatus as an addition to the existing atomic-force microscope device.

A method of in-situ TEM nanoindentation for a damaged layer of silicon is disclosed. Wet etching and ion beam lithography are used for preparing a silicon wedge sample. An etched silicon wedge is thinned and trimmed by a focused ion beam; thinning uses ion beam of 30 kV: 50-80 nA, and trimming uses ion beam of 5 kV: 1-6 pA; and the top width of the silicon wedge is 80-100 nm. The sample is fixed on a sample holder of an in-situ TEM nanomechanical system by using a conductive silver adhesive. The sample is indented with a tip in the TEM, so that the thickness of the damaged layer of the sample is 2-200 nm; and an in-situ nanoindentation experiment is conducted on the damaged layer of the sample in the TEM.

An atomic-force-microscope-based apparatus and method including hardware and software, configured to collect, in a dynamic fashion, and analyze data representing mechanical properties of soft materials on a nanoscale, to map viscoelastic properties of a soft-material sample. The use of the apparatus as an addition to the existing atomic-force microscope device.

The invention relates to a measuring System, a measuring arrangement and a method for detecting measuring signals during a penetration movement of a penetration body (41) into a surface of a test body (14), in particular for hardness measurement or for determining the Scratch resistance of the surface of the test body (14), or for detecting measuring signals during a scanning movement of the penetration body (41) on the surface of the test body (14), in particular for determining the surface roughness, comprising a housing (47) provided with a power generating device (44) which is operatively connected to a penetration body (41) for generating a displacement movement of the penetration body (41) along a displacement axis (48) of the penetration body (41) and which actuates a penetration movement of the penetration body (41) into the surface to be examined of the test body (14), or which positions the penetration body (41) on the surface of the test body (14) for scanning, and further comprising at least one first measuring device (78) for measuring the penetration depth in the surface of the test body (14) or a displacement movement of the penetration body (41) along its displacement axis (48) during a scanning movement on the surface of the test body (14), wherein the power generating device (44) actuates the displacement movement of the penetration body (41) by means of a magnetic force.

A method of measuring a stress-strain curve in a cell-cell adhesion interface, the method including: providing a structure including a first movable island supported by a first beam, a second movable island supported by a second beam, and a gap therebetween connected by a pair of cells forming a junction, the pair of cells comprising a cell-cell adhesion interface having an initial length defined by a distance between nuclei of the pair of cells; moving the second movable island with a defined displacement; determining a displacement of the first movable island based on moving the second movable island; calculating a difference between the displacement of the first movable island and the defined displacement of the second movable island based on moving the second movable island; determining an applied strain in the cell-cell adhesion interface between the pair of cells based on the difference divided by the initial length of the cell-cell adhesion interface; calculating a force between the cell-cell adhesion interface of the pair of cells based on the displacement of the first movable island; calculating a stress in the cell-cell adhesion interface between the pair of cells based on the force; and determining the stress-strain curve of the cell-cell adhesion interface between the pair of cells by plotting the calculated stress against the applied strain.

A bond test apparatus comprises a test tool assembly 200 comprising a test tool 40 configured to contact a bond during a bond test, a flexure 80 coupled to the test tool assembly, and a sensor. The sensor is configured to provide a measurement of a displacement of a first end of the flexure 80 relative to a second end of the flexure on application of a force to the flexure, and a processor is configured to receive a displacement signal from the sensor and, based on the displacement signal and optionally a known stiffness of the flexure, to determine the force on the flexure. A cartridge for a bond test apparatus, a method of measuring a force in a bond test apparatus, and a method of measuring the closing force on the jaws of a bond test tool are also provided.

A rock sample is nano-indented from a surface of the rock sample to a specified depth less than a thickness of the rock sample. While nano-indenting, multiple depths from the surface to the specified depth and multiple loads applied to the sample are measured. From the multiple loads and the multiple depths, a change in load over a specified depth is determined, using which an energy associated with nano-indenting rock sample is determined. From a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image of the nano-indented rock sample, an indentation volume is determined responsive to nano-indenting, and, using the volume, an energy density is determined. It is determined that the energy density associated with the rock sample is substantially equal to energy density of a portion of a subterranean zone in a hydrocarbon reservoir. In response, the physical properties of the rock sample are assigned to the portion of the subterranean zone.

The present disclosure discloses a rock high-stress high-temperature micro-nano indentation test system, comprising: an X, Y, Z three-direction macroscopic adjustment module, an indentation precision loading module, an indentation test module and an indentation data processing module. The rock high-stress high-temperature micro-nano indentation test system further comprise a two-dimensional horizontal stress loading device, a temperature control device and a vacuum device 13. The rock high-stress high-temperature micro-nano indentation test system provided by the present disclosure has distinctive features of modularity and structuralization, and its test results have high accuracy. The rock high-stress high-temperature micro-nano indentation test system is easy to operate, and provides a theoretical and technical system support for testing the mechanical characteristics of the rock under the high-stress and high-temperature environment in the deep region.

A two-dimensional nanoindentation measurement apparatus includes a first actuator that imparts a first force in a first direction, and a second actuator that imparts a second force in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A first elongate member has a first end attached to the first actuator and a second end attached to an indenter tip that engages the surface of the sample. A second elongate member includes a first end attached to the second actuator and a second end connected to the second end of the first elongate member. The first elongate member is rigid in the first direction and compliant in the second direction, and the second elongate member is rigid in the second direction and compliant in the first direction. The first force is imparted to the indenter tip in the first direction through the first elongate member, and the second force is imparted to the indenter tip in the second direction through the second elongate member.

Methods and apparatuses for measuring mechanical properties of electrodes during electrochemical reactions. Such an apparatus includes a fixture having a fluid reservoir that is open to a surrounding atmosphere, first and second electrodes located within the fluid reservoir, and a contact for coupling with a sample material located in the fluid reservoir to define a third electrode. The apparatus further includes a nanoindenter configured for applying a load to a surface of the sample material to form an indentation therein and measuring the load and the size of the indentation over time, a housing enclosing the fixture and the nanoindenter within an inert atmosphere, and a potentiostat configured to charge and discharge an electrochemical cell that is defined by the first, second, and third electrodes and an electrolyte solution in the fluid reservoir while the nanoindenter is applying the load.