With the launch of the InSEM® HT (high temperature) Nanoindenter, KLA Instruments integrates three decades of nanoindentation testing knowledge to push the limits of the industry by integrating isothermal heating capacity up to 800°C.
The InSEM HT Nanoindenter heats the indentation tip and sample in situ mechanical properties microprobe, incorporated yet free control of the tip and sample temperatures combined with multi-location thermocouple input, active cooling, in addition to the precision and dynamic range of all systems from KLA Instruments.
The InSEM HT instrument is a strong and accurate option for measuring creep properties of materials when conventional uniaxial creep testing is not viable. The InSEM HT has been used to replicate uniaxial creep results on a conventional aluminum alloy (AL 1100) across a temperature range spanning from 27°C to 550°C.
A remarkable agreement was noticed between the high-temperature indentation data and the uniaxial measurements over approximately 20 orders of magnitude in normalized strain rates. The nanoindentation experiments were achieved within a small amount of the time and at a fraction of the cost of the uniaxial testing.
Image Credit: KLA Instruments™
Image Credit: KLA Instruments™
Key Features
The main features of the InSEM HT are listed below:
- Probe tip heating – It is first heated and then cooled to room temperature from 1000°C with control to an accuracy of ±0.5°K and stability of over 0.05°K
- Automated control and measurement – With software-incorporated temperature control and measurement, tip temperature and sample surface rely upon the geometry of the specific setup relating to tip extensions, material and sample thickness
- Versatile on-stage testing – Devised to increase frame stiffness and optimize positioning resolution, micropositioners and a stage-mounted cradle find the sample relative to the InForce actuator, offering versatile on-stage testing capacities for applications with restricted on-chamber configurations
- Exceptional control – The InSEM HT is the only commercial nanoindenter that can simultaneously offer maximum indenter travel of 50 µm, digital resolution of 0.02 nm, a noise floor of <0.1 nm, and drift rates of <0.05 nm/s, with a time constant of 20 μs
- Sample heating – A sample is heated up to 1000°C and then cooled to room temperature by a temperature-controlled sample mount pad, which has an accuracy of ±0.5°K and stability of more than 0.05°K. The sample mount pad temperature is controlled through a USB interface
- Tips rated > 1000°C – Single crystal tungsten carbide tips on a molybdenum holder are available for use in high temperature test applications; these tips are rated to more than 1000°C and are offered in a range of tip geometries
- Maximize force and resolution; reduce noise – Strong electromagnetic actuators are linear devices that innately decouple force and displacement, offering a maximum force of 50 mN, ultra-low noise floor of <200 nN and resolution of 3 nN
Customer Testimonials
Our InSEM platform routinely transfers from operation in our glove box, to the temperature chamber and the SEM. The system has proven itself to be remarkably robust. The instrument's InView software is intuitive and easy to use. Especially useful is the ability to easily load, edit and execute previously established test batches. Another great InView feature is its ability to simultaneously and independently run experiments and perform data analysis. These are just a few of the features that, in our opinion, truly distinguish NMI from its competitors and enable our students to perform state-of-the-art small-scale mechanical characterization.
Erik G. Herbert Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee