A microelectromechanical force actuator for nano-tensile testing system

S. Gao; K. Herrmann

doi:10.1117/12.780400

25 April 2008 A microelectromechanical force actuator for nano-tensile testing system

S. Gao, K. Herrmann

Proceedings Volume 6993, MEMS, MOEMS, and Micromachining III; 69930H (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.780400
Event: SPIE Photonics Europe, 2008, Strasbourg, France

Abstract

The experimental method of micro-/nanotensile testing for extracting the mechanical properties of small volumes of materials ( e.g. free-standing thin films) has gained more and more interest, since it provides an effective way to evaluate the actual material properties without any pre-assumptions, and consequently its results can be used as a reference for verifying other material testing methods such as nanoindentation testing, laser acoustic method, etc. As one of the key components within a nano-tensile testing system, here a MEMS-based nano-force actuator is presented, which is developed on the basis of an electrostatic lateral comb-drive, having an output force resolution up to 3 nN with a maximum output force up to the mN range. A fixed gripper is integrated into the nano-force actuator, with which a free-standing thin film specimen with matched holder can be easily coupled and tested. Design and numerical simulation of the nano-force actuator with the help of finite element analysis (FEA) are detailed. A calibration system is developed, which employs a single-frequency laser interferometer as an SI-traceable standard for the determination of the actual displacement-to-square-voltage ratio (d/V²) of a prototype of the actuator. Calibration results reveal that the actual performance of the prototype coincides quite well with the designed specifications. With atomic force microscope (AFM) the error sources within the prototype are further investigated.

Citation Download Citation

S. Gao and K. Herrmann "A microelectromechanical force actuator for nano-tensile testing system", Proc. SPIE 6993, MEMS, MOEMS, and Micromachining III, 69930H (25 April 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.780400

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