MEMS nanoindenter chip with indenter probe and reference probe

A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-nanoindenter chip for performing nanoindentation on a specimen, the MEMS-nanoindenter chip comprising:

• an indenter probe;
• an indenter tip joined to said indenter probe, said indenter tip provided for indenting into the specimen;
• a reference probe having a u-shaped structure and reduction flexures for increasing a range of position sensing, said reduction flexures being disposed in said u-shaped structure;
• a reference tip joined to said reference probe by said reduction flexures, said reference tip provided for touching the specimen;
• and
• a sensor for measuring a position of said indenter probe relative to said reference probe.