Article
5 key technologies for nanomechanical testing
Mechanical behaviour at the nanoscale cannot be predicted from bulk properties alone. Interfaces, surface forces, and microstructural effects have a significant influence, often dictating whether materials succeed or fail in their application. Nanomechanical testing reveals these properties with precision.
The five nanomechanical testing technologies below offer insights at small scales, each providing a lens on performance and reliability.
1. Nanoindentation and Nanoscratch Testing
Nanoindentation is central to nanomechanical testing, enabling direct measurement of hardness, modulus, and time-dependent deformation. Nanoscratch testing complements it by evaluating adhesion, delamination, and cohesive failure under lateral load.
This methodology is particularly well suited for characterising functional films, layered semiconductors, and engineered surfaces in biomedical devices. Local mechanical behaviour in these systems often determines overall structural integrity and service life.
SMT-5000 and SMT-2000
The SMT-5000 is a fully integrated instrumented indentation and scratch testing system designed for high-resolution characterisation of thin films and coatings. It combines precise force and depth control with 3D surface profilometry and film thickness measurement for the detailed analysis of hardness, modulus, and adhesion.
For nanoscale testing, the SMT-2000 PiQ Nanoindenter offers sensitivity and displacement resolution, ideal for assessing ultra-thin or delicate surfaces. Both these systems provide a robust foundation for nanomechanical surface and interface analysis.
2. Tribometry: Extending Nanomechanical Insight into Dynamic Contact
Tribometry is traditionally used to study friction and wear at the macroscale. However, its relevance to nanomechanical testing is growing. As devices become smaller, frictional behaviour is increasingly dominated by surface energy, atomic roughness, and interfacial adhesion rather than bulk properties.
Within a nanomechanical testing framework, tribometry captures how surfaces behave during motion at small scales. When paired with precise force control and displacement tracking, it allows accurate measurement of friction coefficients, wear rates, and interfacial shear strength. This is key for evaluating systems with moving interfaces like MEMS, micro-bearings, and implants.
Multi-Function and Single-Function Tribometers
We provide a comprehensive suite of tribometers designed to support both broad and specialised tribological testing needs:
Multi-Function Tribometers
The MFT-5000 and MFT-2000 are highly adaptable platforms capable of performing pin-on-disc, ball-on-disc, linear reciprocating, and other test configurations. Their modular design and environmental control options make them ideal for assessing friction, wear, and lubrication across a range of materials and applications.
Single-Function Tribometers
The HFRR Tester FFT-M is dedicated to fuel lubricity testing, while the SRV Tester FFT-1 delivers high-frequency oscillation testing for evaluating greases and lubricants. Both are valuable for understanding how surfaces respond to dynamic, contact-based stress at small scales.
Together, these systems enhance tribometry’s role within nanomechanical testing by enabling dynamic, application-specific characterisation of contact mechanics, wear evolution, and frictional response.
3. Fretting Testing: Evaluating Fatigue-Induced Surface Degradation
Fretting involves low-amplitude, repetitive motion between contacting surfaces. Although displacements are minimal, the mechanical impact can be substantial, particularly for coated or structured materials. Localised plastic deformation, micro-crack initiation, and surface fatigue often begin at the nanoscale and remain hidden until failure is well underway.
Nanomechanical testing reveals how cyclic loading drives mechanical instability, uncovering fatigue failure in constrained assemblies such as fasteners, connectors, or implants. To complete the picture, fretting is often paired with post-test nanoindentation and scratch analysis - key components of nanomechanical testing workflows that trace mechanical degradation with high spatial resolution.
Fretting Tester FFT Series
The FFT Series fretting testers are designed for high-resolution evaluation of fretting wear across nano to macro scales. With sub-nanometre displacement control and frequencies up to 300 Hz, they simulate cyclic loading conditions driving surface degradation.
For nanomechanical testing, these capabilities are critical for analysing how fatigue-induced wear evolves at small contact areas. Researchers can use the FFT Series to characterise changes in adhesion, stiffness, and friction at the scale where mechanical failure often begins.
4. Air Jet Erosion: Linking Surface Damage to Mechanical Property Loss
Air jet erosion is used to replicate the effects of high-velocity particle impacts on material surfaces. Even though the energy input is macroscale, the damage it causes typically initiates within the top few microns. Surface hardening, delamination, and microcracking often go undetected without detailed mechanical analysis.
As part of nanomechanical testing, air jet erosion introduces controlled surface wear under conditions that mimic real-world exposure. These scenarios are critical in expanding the scope of nanomechanical testing beyond traditional indentation methods.
Air Jet Erosion Tester AJ-1000
The AJ-1000 adds value to nanomechanical testing by enabling precisely controlled erosion under defined impact conditions. This allows researchers to simulate surface degradation in a reproducible way, generating meaningful preconditions for mechanical analysis.
5. CMP Simulation: Characterising Mechanically Induced Changes in Planarized Films
Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) is a vital process in semiconductor and optics manufacturing, where achieving flat, uniform surfaces is essential. But beyond planarity, CMP influences the mechanical state of thin films through its combined chemical and abrasive action.
In nanomechanical testing workflows, CMP can be applied in controlled conditions to replicate the effects of fabrication-stage polishing. This allows researchers to assess how surface treatments affect mechanical performance, including hardness, elasticity, and interface strength. Used this way, CMP becomes more than a processing step. It acts as a tool for evaluating material durability under real-world finishing conditions.
CMP Tester CP-5000
The CP-5000 CMP Tester is a precision platform for simulating chemical mechanical planarization with fine control over speed, downforce, and slurry flow. It integrates directly into nanomechanical testing workflows by preparing well-defined surfaces and capturing process signals that inform subsequent analysis of hardness, modulus, and interfacial strength.
Five Technologies, One Purpose
All five technologies offer a unique perspective on nanoscale mechanical behaviour. Combined, these nanomechanical testing techniques reveal how surfaces respond to stress, wear, and process conditions bulk testing cannot. The result is deeper insight into material performance and confidence in real-world outcomes.
Find out more about our nanomechanical testing technologies here.