Force, pressure, or stiffness measurement or calibration using graphene or other sheet membrane

A method comprising:

• using a substrate including a substantially circular well;
• using a deformable sheet membrane that is suspended over the well, the membrane configured to include a specified integer number of monolayers;
• and
• calibrating a device using a deflection displacement response of the suspended membrane to an applied force or pressure.

A method comprising:

• providing an apparatus comprising:
• a substrate, including a substantially circular well;
• a deformable sheet graphene membrane, suspended over the well, the membrane configured to include a specified integer number of one or more graphene monolayers;
• and
• a storage medium comprising accompanying information about the suspended membrane or the substrate that, with a deflection displacement response of the suspended membrane to an applied force or pressure, provides a measurement of the applied force or pressure, wherein the storage medium comprises accompanying information about a dimension of the well and a tension of the membrane;
• a transducer configured to transduce a deflection of the membrane, for use with the accompanying information, to provide the measurement of the applied force or pressure, wherein the transducer comprises at least one of an atomic force microscope (AFM) or a nanoindenter;
• and
• calibrating at least one of an atomic force microscope (AFM) device or a nanoindenter device, using (1) information about the suspended membrane or the substrate, including using measured information about a diameter of the well and measured information about a tension of the membrane obtained using at least one of x-ray diffraction or Raman spectroscopy, and (2) the deflection displacement response of the suspended membrane to an applied force or pressure, wherein the calibrating comprises
• measuring a deflection of the membrane;
• and
• providing information about the deflection to a user or automated process.