SGER: Feasibility Study of Novel Instrumentation With nN Force Resolution

具有nN力分辨率的新型仪器的可行性研究NSF SGER提案提交给Jorn Larsen-Bass博士。Polycarpou，机械和工业工程系，UIUC许多经历接触的器件，特别是微/纳米器件的性能和耐用性受到表面特性和界面现象（如粘附、摩擦和磨损）的严重影响。在先进工程系统和微型系统（例如磁存储和微机电系统（MEMS）中的头盘接口（HDI））的摩擦、粘附和纳米机械特性领域的研究已经取得了相当大的进展。随着微型系统的尺寸尺度进一步缩小，需要更精细的公差，表面变得更光滑，薄膜变得更薄，并且可能发生诸如强分子间粘附力、高静摩擦和界面处的灾难性故障等现象。尽管这些问题中的许多已经得到缓解或解决，但在本研究中仍然存在并将解决的一个主要问题是具有极低分辨率的直接力测量。拟议的为期一年的探索性研究涉及共同开发和购买能够以1 nN的极高分辨率进行直接力测量的新型仪器。现有技术的直接力仪器能够具有0.5 nN - 1 nN的力分辨率。力分辨率的3个数量级的改进将通过以下方式实现：（a）将当前系统的质量从超过200 mg显著减少到20 mg（使用 集成电路-IC和MEMS技术的组合）。(b)在力传感器内部实现主动振动消除。(c)改进力传感器和致动器的驱动电子器件， 漂移拟议的仪器将与现有的多模式原子力显微镜（AFM）集成，并将用于执行初步的界面纳米级实验，以证明nN力分辨率的能力。具体地，将进行两种类型的实验：（a）用于提取亚10 nm超薄层的材料性质的亚纳米压痕实验和（B）使用来自微系统的isidealln表面和实际表面的粘附力和拉脱力实验，例如，低飞磁头磁盘接口从磁存储。这项研究的意义在于，它将使新的直接力测量仪器的可行性，能够nN和可能分nN的分辨率和执行定性纳米压痕和粘附力实验的能力，在小规模的，以前是不可能的。由于新的原型低质量直接力传感器，拟议的研究是探索性的和高风险的。这项研究的成功将对纳米测试和纳米摩擦学的未来产生重大影响。PI在宏观摩擦学方面的背景以及他应用微/纳米技术解释多个长度尺度现象的方法，他强大的仪器背景以及他与新型传感器制造商和工业公司的密切关系使他处于独特的位置，能够开发能够实现nN力分辨率的新型仪器，并研究亚纳米厚层的界面现象和机械性能。

Feasibility Study of Novel Instrumentation with nN Force ResolutionNSF SGER Proposal submitted to Dr. Jorn Larsen-BasseBy Andreas A. Polycarpou, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, UIUC The performance and durability of many devices that experience contact, especially micro/nanodevices is heavily influenced by the surface properties and interfacial phenomena like adhesion,friction and wear. Research in the areas of friction, adhesion and nanomechanical properties of advanced engineering systems and miniature systems, such as the Head Disk Interface (HDI) in magnetic storage and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), have advanced considerably. As the size scale of miniature systems shrinks further, finer tolerances are required, surfaces become smoother, thin-films become thinner and phenomena like strong intermolecular adhesion forces, high stiction and catastrophic failures at the interfaces may occur. Even though many of these problems have been alleviated or resolved, a major issue that remains and will be tackled in this research is the direct force measurementwith extremely low resolution. The proposed one year exploratory research deals with the co-development and purchase of novel instrumentation capable for direct force measurements with very high resolution of 1 nN. Current state of the art direct force instruments are capable of 0.5 nN - 1 nN force resolution. The 3 orders of magnitude improvement in the force resolution will be accomplish by:(a) Significantly reducing the mass of the current systems from over 200 mg to 20 mg (using a combination of integrated circuit-IC and MEMS technologies).(b) Incorporating active vibration cancellation inside the force transducer.(c) Improving the drive electronics of the force transducer and actuator to minimize thermal drift. The proposed instrumentation will then be integrated with an existing multi-mode Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and will be used to perform preliminary interfacial nanoscale experiments to demonstrate the nN force resolution capabilities. Specifically, two types of experiments will be performed: (a) iasub nanoindentationl-A experiments for extracting material properties of sub 10 nm ultra thin layers and (b) adhesion and pull-off force experiments using isidealln surfaces and actual surfaces from microsystems, e.g., low flying head-disk interfaces from magnetic storage. The significance of this research is that it will enable the feasibility of novel direct force measurement instrumentation capable of nN and possibly sub nN resolution and the capability of performing qualitative nanoindentation and adhesion experiments at small scales that were not possible before. The proposed research is exploratory and high risk due to the novel prototype low mass direct force transducers. The success of this research will have a great impact on the future of nanoscale testing and nanotribology. The PI's background in macrotribology and his approach of applying micro/nano techniques to explain phenomena at multiple length scales, his strong instrumentation background and his strong relation with novel sensor manufacturers, and industrial companies place him in a unique position to develop novel instrumentation capable of nN force resolution and investigate interfacial phenomena and mechanical properties of sub-nm thick layers.