A Device for Mechanical Testing of Elements of Micro- and Nanosystems

Abstract

For the mechanical testing of elements of micro- and nanosystems, we propose a device based on an electrodynamic actuator, which creates regulated forces within the range 10^–3–1 N. The minimum recorded change in the geometry of a specimen under the load is equal to 0.3 μm. The actuator can be used for tensile, bending, compression, and fatigue tests of the specimens. By using the actuator, we can find the mechanical characteristics of thin films, wires, and microbeams whose length varies from several micrometers to several millimeters. The accessibility of the actuator and its zero stiffness simplify the procedure of measurements.