US 2010/0132441 A1 · MICROMACHINED COMB DRIVE FOR QUANTITATIVE NANOINDENTATION

Abstract

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) nanoindenter transducer including a body, a probe moveable relative to the body, an indenter tip coupled to an end of the moveable probe, the indenter tip moveable together with the probe, and a micromachined comb drive. The micromachined comb drive includes an electrostatic actuator capacitor comprising a plurality of comb capacitors configured to drive the probe, together with the indenter tip, along a displacement axis, including in an indentation direction, upon application of a bias voltage to the actuation capacitor. The micromachined comb drive further includes a plurality of sensing capacitors forming a differential capacitive displacement sensor, each sensing capacitor comprising a plurality of comb capacitors and each configured to provide capacitance levels which, together, are representative of a position of the probe, wherein each of the comb capacitors of the actuator capacitor and the sensing capacitors includes a fixed electrode comb coupled to the body and a moveable electrode comb coupled to the probe.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) nanoindenter transducer comprising:

a body;
a probe moveable relative to the body;
an indenter tip coupled to an end of the moveable probe, the indenter tip moveable together with the probe;
and
a micromachined comb drive including:
an electrostatic actuator capacitor comprising a plurality of comb capacitors configured to drive the probe, together with the indenter tip, along a displacement axis, including in an indentation direction, upon application of a bias voltage to the actuation capacitor;
and
a plurality of sensing capacitors forming a differential capacitive displacement sensor, each sensing capacitor comprising a plurality of comb capacitors and each configured to provide capacitance levels which, together, are representative of a position of the probe, wherein each of the comb capacitors of the actuator capacitor and the sensing capacitors includes a fixed electrode comb coupled to the body and a moveable electrode comb coupled to the probe.

5 more elements

A nanoindentation test system comprising:

a holder for retaining a sample;
a microelectromechanical (MEMS) nanoindenter transducer including:
a body;
a probe moveable relative to the body;
an indenter tip coupled an end of the moveable probe;
and
a micromachined comb drive including:
an actuator capacitor comprising a plurality of comb capacitors configured to drive the probe, together with the indenter tip, along a displacement axis upon application of a bias voltage to the actuation capacitor;
and
a plurality of sensing capacitors forming a differential capacitive displacement sensor, each sensing capacitor comprising a plurality of comb capacitors and each configured to provide capacitance levels which, together, are representative of a position of the probe, wherein each of the comb capacitors of the actuator capacitor and the sensing capacitors includes a fixed electrode comb coupled to the body and a moveable electrode comb coupled to the probe;
and
a controller configured drive the probe along the displacement axis so as to provide a desired force to the sample with the indenter tip by applying a desired bias voltage to the actuation capacitor.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Micromachined comb drive for quantitative nanoindentation

Life of this patent

Micromachined comb drive for quantitative nanoindentation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23