DMET Inc., a manufacturer of integrated materials testing systems, today introduced a first of its kind commercially available materials testing machine for measuring the mechanical properties of micron-sized specimens. Called the ADMET nmTester, it is equipped with a needle-type probe that is capable of indenting, scratching, pushing, pulling and bending in specific locations. It measures forces of less than 10 mN (micro-Newtons) and displacements of less than a millimeter with nanometer resolution.
The ADMET nmTester is designed to work with visible light and scanning electron (SEM) microscopes for precise positioning of the needle probe and analysis during specimen testing. It is useful for the development and testing of new materials and micron-sized devices commonly called MEMS (Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems).
MEMS-based products already have wide acceptance in the marketplace. They include hard disk drives, ink-jet print heads, heart pacemakers, fiber optic switches, lab-on-chip for in vitro diagnostics, hearing aides, pressure sensors, chemical sensors, infrared sensors, accelerometers and gyroscopes. Major growth for MEMS is projected for medical/biomedical, telecommunications and environmental monitoring applications.
"The ADMET nmTester meets the unfulfilled need for a specialized mechanical test system that aids in the research and development of new materials and micron-sized devices," commented Richard Gedney, ADMET founder and president. "It offers the requisite range and sensitivity necessary for making precise force-deflection measurements at these levels. The nmTester can operate as a standalone device or as part of a larger inspection system that may include a SEM, for example."
