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Calibration of Microfabricated Cantilevers for SI-Traceable Small Force Measurement

Published

Author(s)

Gordon A. Shaw, Jon R. Pratt, John A. Kramar

Abstract

A procedure is described by which the spring constant of a microfabricated cantilever beam can be calibrated for the measurement of small forces in an atomic force microscope (AFM) or other device. The procedure utilizes dynamic force instrumented indentation to determine the mechanical properties of the beam by apply a well-characterized oscillating force and measuring resulting displacement of the system. An uncertainty analysis is carried out, and by intercomparison with the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Electrostatic Force Balance, the spring constants determined using the new method agree within 2% for spring constants as low as 2 N/m.
Conference Dates
September 17-22, 2006
Conference Location
Rio Janeiro, BR
Conference Title
IMEKO XVIII World Congress

Keywords

calibration, dynamics, force, indentation, metrology, nanotechnology, scanning probe micorscopy

Citation

Shaw, G. , Pratt, J. and Kramar, J. (2006), Calibration of Microfabricated Cantilevers for SI-Traceable Small Force Measurement, IMEKO XVIII World Congress, Rio Janeiro, BR (Accessed April 25, 2024)
Created January 1, 2006, Updated February 19, 2017