Diamond Brazing Technology: Diamond Nanoindenter

Tecdia’s unique diamond processing and precision machining techniques produces best-in-class Berkovich Diamond Nanoindenters.

As thin-film technology becomes commonplace in the applied sciences of semiconductor, mass storage and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) development, the precise characterization of these materials is a key element for R&D advancements. As designs become miniaturized from micro to nano and the demand for smaller and thinner products increases, the necessity for high quality precision tools becomes critical.

Nanoindentation is a technique used to measure a material’s properties such as hardness or Young’s Modulus in an extremely small area or volume of material. Measurements are taken by pressing a small diamond-tipped shaft, called a Nanoindenter, directly into the sample where highly sophisticated lab equipment reads the pressure and analyzes the geometrical feedback. This technique can be used to measure properties in a wide variety of materials such as organic polymers, metals, ceramics, oxides, nitrides, and other carbon based elements.

The performance and precision of the Nanoindenter is a critical factor for testing accuracy. Tecdia’s knowledge and experience in diamond processing and precision machining led to many improvements on existing designs.

The Challenge：

Historically, improvement in tool precision and the production yield of nanoindentation tools has been a tremendous challenge.

Nanoindenters consist of a diamond tip and Titanium or stainless steel shaft. The shaft diameter is typically less than 0.5mm and the total length is only 2 to 3mm long. The tip radius is less than 100 nanometers.

While diamond is the hardest material on Earth, they can be very brittle and difficult to work with at the microscopic level. Affixing the diamonds to the shaft with consistency and precision was also a challenge. Advancements in both shaping and mounting techniques were developed in order to attain consistent yields.

The Solution:

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  Berkovich Tip Design

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  Berkovich Tip Design

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  0.5mm mechanical pencil lead (bottom)

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  Ruler shown for scale

The Result:

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