Mechanical properties mapping
Mechanical properties mapping
NanoScan scanning nanohardness testers allow obtaining three-dimensional surface topography images in the scanning probe microscopy mode. The scanning is performed in tapping mode with a diamond tip attached to a piezoceramic probe. The probe makes resonant vibrations at a frequency of f ~ 10 kHz and with amplitude A < 50 nm. During the scanning process, the frequency f, or the oscillation amplitude A is kept constant.
Oscillation mode of the probe allows obtaining not only a topography image, but also more information on the structure and mechanical properties of the samples. During the scanning process, simultaneously with the surface profile, the variations of the probe free parameter are recorded (during scanning at constant frequency F the free parameter is the amplitude A and vice versa). The resulting image is a viscoelastic surface properties distribution map. This mode allows studying the structure of multiphase materials, as well as the mechanical heterogeneity distribution on the surface. The mechanical properties distribution map obtained during the scanning process is relative and only gives qualitative information about the mechanical parameters. Quantitative measurements of the elasticity (Young’s) modulus at the given test surface points can be done by force spectroscopy or instrumented indentation.