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Direct Measurement of Cantilever Spring Constants and Correction of Cantilever Irregularities Using an Instrumented Indenter

Published

Author(s)

Z C. Ying, Mark Reitsma, Richard S. Gates

Abstract

A method is presented that allows direct measurement of a wide range of spring constants of cantilevers using an indentation instrument with an integrated optical microscope. An accuracy of better than 10% can be achieved for spring constants from 0.1 N/m to 102 N/m. The technique makes it possible to measure the spring constant at any desired location on a cantilever of any shape, particularly at the tip location of an atomic force microscopy cantilever. The paper also demonstrates a technique to detect and correct apparent length anomalies of cantilevers by analyzing spring constants at multiple positions.
Citation
Review of Scientific Instruments
Volume
78
Issue
10

Keywords

atomic force microscopy, calibration, cantilever, indenter, spring constant, stiffness

Citation

Ying, Z. , Reitsma, M. and Gates, R. (2007), Direct Measurement of Cantilever Spring Constants and Correction of Cantilever Irregularities Using an Instrumented Indenter, Review of Scientific Instruments, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=850970 (Accessed October 2, 2025)

Issues

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Created January 22, 2007, Updated February 19, 2017
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