Products

NIOS Products


NIOS Standard	NIOS Advanced

The NIOS series of nanomechanical testers is available in three platforms: NIOS Compact, NIOS Standard and NIOS Advanced. Depending on the size of the selected platform the device may comprise one, two of three of the following measurements modules:

Wide-range nanoindenter
Scanning nanomechanical tester
Atomic force microscope
Optical microscope

Special modification of NIOS Standard instrument can be equipped with three-axis heterodyne interferometer used for application in linear displacements nanometrology.

Depending on the type of the platform, one extends the capabilities of the instrument with additional options such as a lateral force sensor, heating stage, high load option, acoustic emission sensor, reciprocating wear module, etc.

Wide-range nanoindenter module

Purpose:

The wide-range or instrumented nanoindenter module is designed to measure the mechanical properties of various materials using a wide range of applied loads and depths. The range of application spreads from sufficiently hard materials (sapphire and harder) to quite soft polymeric materials, plastics and some sorts of rubbers. This capability to conduct a measurement for the different types of materials is provided by the big displacement range of the shaft and by the method of load application.

This module is also used for the wear resistance measurements as well as for the scratch testing, which can be used for the mechanical and adhesive properties measurements. Using lateral force sensor it is possible to measure a lateral force and a friction coefficient.

Modes and methods:

Instrumented indentation in accordance with ISO 14577
Vickers hardness measurements
Scratch tests (hardness measurements by scratching) with constant or variable load
Dynamic stiffness measurements
Beams and membranes stiffness measurements
Hardness and elastic modulus dependency of the indentation depth
Automated mapping of two- and three-dimensional hardness and elastic modulus distribution over the surface within the area of 50x50 mm
Adhesion characterization by the scratch method
Measurements in liquids
Additional option for the loads up to 30 N

Technical data:

Load range: 0,1 mN - 2 N;
Force digital resolution: 0,2 µN
XY positioning: motorized XY stage 1 µm accuracy
Mostorized XY area 160x50 mm
Measurement range of Z-axis not less than 300 µm
Z-axis resolution: 0.1 nm

The indentation module has 4 basic operating modes:

Force and displacement ranges

Load displacement curve for the partial unloading indentation. Red curve: fused silica, black curve: steel

Optical microscope measurement module

Mono-zoom video microscope with CCD camera. The microscope is used for selection of the measurements position for the AFM and the wide-range nanoindenter / scanning nanomechanical tester modules. It is also used for the measurements of the dimensions of indentation imprints, microelements, microcrystals within metals, composites, powder grains, electrical boards’ paths, MEMS and others.

Wide range of illumination options are possible: unshaded circular; optical fiber; fluorescent, coaxial, LED. Polarization set option is possible.

Modes and methods:

Hardness measurements according to the residual imprint area or scratch width
Crack analysis (fracture toughness)
Grain size analysis
Grains size distribution function

Technical data:

Digital zoom up to 1500x
Smooth optical zoom change: from 0.58x to 7x
Field of view: from 1.57 x 2.09mm to 0.13 x 0.17mm
Working length: 35mm
Digital USB camera

Zoom adjustment:

Manual click-stop zoom
Automatic zoom

Additional functionalities:

Auto focus
Automatic field of view scaling during zoom changing
Illumination irregularities correction

Scanning nanomechanical tester module

This module is purposed for complex research of mechanical properties in loads range up to 100 mN by using indentation and scratch methods. It's also used for materials surface research in a semi-contact SPM method.

Modes and methods:

Semi-contact dynamic topography scanning
Indentation and scratching with a given load or depth
Scratch hardness measurements
Hardness measurements by residual indentation imprint
Mechanical properties measurements by instrumented indentation in accordance with ISO 14577
Elastic modulus measurements by force spectroscopy
Materials and thin coatings mechanical properties measurements (hardness, adhesion, coating thickness) by scratching with variable loads
Wear resistance measurements of thin coatings
Surface profiling

Technical data:

Measurement range of X and Y axis not less than 100 µm
XY positioning resolution: 1,5 nm
Measurement range of Z-axis not less than 10 µm
Z-axis resolution: 0.5 nm
Load range: 10 µN - 50 mN
Force digital resolution: 25 nN

Three-axis heterodyne laser Interferometer module

The interferometer module is intended for the metrological measurements of surface structures. A source of radiation is a single-frequency stabilized He-Ne laser (power 1 mW, wavelength 632,991084 nm, the relative instability of optical frequency no more than 3.10^-9 during 8-hour work).

This module is purposed for the determination of a metrological characteristic of other SPMs, for providing accurate measurements of the linear dimensions at the nanometer scale and for a nanotechnology product control.

Modes and methods:

Hardware and software compatible with a general-purpose measurement module
Hardware and software compatible with an AFM module
Surface topography mapping during SPM and AFM modes of scanning

Technical data:

Measurement range of the XYZ axis: 500 µm
Resolution of all three axes no less than 0.01 nm
Noise level of the interferometer RMS in a frequency band from 1 Hz to 1 kHz no more than 1 nm
Nonorthogonality of axis displacement measurement: 0.01 radian
Phase displacement range: ±1*10⁴ radian
Phase displacement resolution: 10^-4 radian
Time measurement resolution: 1 ms
The maximum rate of scanning: 100 µm/s
Heat release in a working area no more than 5 W

	NIOS Compact	NIOS Compact is designed for small samples surface mechanical properties research. This device uses the methods of scanning probe microscopy, instrumented indentation and scratching with a load range up to 100 mN. This model is intended for physical and mechanical properties study at submicron and nanometer linear dimensional scale.
	NIOS Standard	NIOS Standard incorporates hardness, elastic modulus (and other mechanical parameters) measurement methods. Scratching, static and dynamic indentation are also implemented in this instrument. This model provides the possibility of semi-contact surface topography profiling. Optical microscope ensures high accuracy of positioning of the indenter and the sample.
	NIOS Advanced	NIOS Advanced is a fully equipped system that implements widest range of methods in the product line. Capabilities and modes of the indentation head are enhanced by the AFM functionality, which allows an investigation of indent's imprints with nanometer resolution. The system provides capability of automated testing and batch data processing.

Configuration Wizard

Step 1: Frame size


Compact (1 head) 200x300 mm	Standard (2 heads) 450x400 mm	Advanced (3 heads) 550x450 mm

Step 2: Heads

Wide-range
nanoindenter module

Scanning
nanomechanical
tester module

Atomic force
microscope

Optical
microscope

Step 3: Sample stage


XY motorized	Manual

X motorized	Rotation

Step 4: Extensions

XYZ scanning stage

Lateral force sensor

Heating stage

Load extension unit

Step 5: Accessories & other


Vacuum chuck	Probes	Indenters

NIOS Configurations Table

Heads:

	Compact	Standard	Advanced
Wide-range nanoindenter module	+	+	+
Optical microscope	-	+	+
AFM	-	-	+
Scanning nanomechanical module	+	+	+

Positioning stage:

	Compact	Standard	Advanced
Manual	Optional	-	-
X	+	-	-
XY	-	+	+
Rotating	-	-	Optional

Extension:

	Compact	Standard	Advanced
Lateral force sensor	-	Optional	Optional
Heating stage	-	Optional	Optional
XYZ scanning stage	-	Optional	Optional
Electrical properties	-	Optional	Optional
High load option	Optional	Optional	Optional

Scanning nano-hardness tester NIOS

Additional units and sensors

NIOS nanomechanical testers have a lot of additional units and sensors. This extends the functionalities of the measurement system and provides a maximum level of device adaptation for customer's needs.

Measurement platform final configuration is selected depending on the customer's research tasks.

In order to deal with unusual research tasks it is possible to create new units, modify existing units and sensors and install on NIOS units from other manufacturers.

Lateral force sensor:

Lateral force measurements during sclerometry and polycyclic abrasion
Friction coefficient measurements during tribology tests

In-situ scanning unit:

SPM mode for a surface topography visualization by diamond indenter

Heating stage:

Maximum temperature: 400 °C
Maximum heating rate: 1 °C/s
Temperature stabilization: 0,1 °C
Maximum sample dimensions (WxLxH): 25x25x10 mm

Measurement module of electrical properties:

Current-voltage characteristics and current spreading measurements during mechanical tests

Sample holders:

Vises
Clamps
Supports
Vacuum cups

Rotary table:

Mechanical properties anisotropy research
Sample positioning expanded functionality

Indenters:

Indenter tips made of doped and high-quality synthetic diamonds monocrystals
Berkovich triangular pyramid
Knoop four-sided pyramid
Vickers four-sided pyramid
Flat punch with a given diameter from 50 μm to 2 mm
Spherical tip with a given radius

Reference samples:

Reference Sample (RS) is produced from a well-known material with special surface preparation. Reference samples are purposed for calibration of the NIOS devices and inspected to be compliant with established standards. Every RS has a passport of the RS containing standard metrology characteristics, application instruction and transportation and storing conditions.

Polycarbonate Reference characteristics:

hardness: 0.21 ± 0.02 GPa
elastic modulus (Young's modulus): 3 ± 0.3 GPa
roughness: <5 nm
dimensions: 10x10x7 mm
surface preparation: —

Aluminum Reference characteristics:

Hardness: 0.5 ± 0.1 GPa
Elastic modulus: 70,0 ± 7,0 GPa
Roughness: <5 nm
Dimensions: 10x10x8 mm
Surface preparation: polishing, electrolytic etching

Fused Silica Reference characteristics:

Hardness: 9.5 ± 1.0 GPa
Elastic modulus: 72.0 ± 3.0 GPa
Roughness: <5 nm
Dimensions: 7x10x4 mm
Surface preparation: deep grinding-polishing

Sapphire Reference characteristics:

Hardness: 24.5 ± 2.5 GPa
Elastic modulus: 415.0 ± 35.0 GPa
Roughness: <5 nm
Dimensions: 25x5 mm
Surface preparation: epi-polishing