The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 27, 2011
Filed:
Jan. 29, 2009
Warren C. Oliver, Knoxville, TN (US);
John Swindernan, Knoxville, TN (US);
Jennifer Hay, Knoxville, TN (US);
Karmit Parks, Knoxville, TN (US);
Warren C. Oliver, Knoxville, TN (US);
John Swindernan, Knoxville, TN (US);
Jennifer Hay, Knoxville, TN (US);
Karmit Parks, Knoxville, TN (US);
Nanonmechanics, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (US);
Abstract
A nanoindenter that includes an interferometer, a rod, a force actuator and a controller is disclosed. The interferometer generates a light beam that is reflected from a moveable reflector, the interferometer determining a distance between a reference location and the moveable reflector. The rod is characterized by a rod axis and includes a tip on a first end thereof, the rod includes the moveable reflector at a location proximate to the tip. The tip is disposed in a manner that allows the tip to be forced against the surface of a sample. The force actuator applies a force to the rod in a direction parallel to the rod axis in response to a force control signal coupled to the actuator. The controller receives the determined distance from the interferometer and generates the force control signal. The invention can also be used as a scanning probe microscope.