Ultra Nanoindentation Tester (UNHT³)

Using real force and displacement sensors, the UNHT³ ultra-high-resolution nanoindenter analyzes a material’s mechanical characteristics at the nanoscale. UNHT³’s proprietary active surface referencing mechanism effectively avoids temperature drift and compliance issues.

It is suitable for long-term measurements on various materials, from the atomic to the nanoscale, including polymers, extremely thin layers, and soft tissues. A vacuum chamber variant (UNHT³ HTV) is available for measurements at extremely low or high temperatures (up to 800 °C and 10^-7 mbar).

Combine the UNHT³ head with another scratch or indentation tester on the Step platform to cover the whole nano/micro/macro range. Add an AFM module to get full mechanical surface characterization from a single instrument.

UNHT³ Standard

Measurements under ambient conditions

Variable temperature testing from room temperature up to 200 °C

UNHT³ HTV

Vacuum atmosphere for improved heating control and protection for the indenter and sample against oxidation

Fully automatic procedure for minimizing thermal drift

Variable temperature testing from -150 °C to 800 °C

Vacuum levels down to 10^-7 mbar

Key Features

The Most Accurate Nanoindentation Tester

Image Credit: Anton Paar GmbH

UNHT³ uses two independent depth and load sensors to accurately quantify forces and indentation depth, unlike previous methods. UNHT³ provides the proprietary design of active top referencing: One reference indenter monitors the sample’s surface location, while a measuring indenter takes the measurements, reducing thermal drift and compliance concerns.

This enables various indentation depths (from a few nm to 100 μm) and indentation loads (from a few μN to 100 mN).

The Nanoindenter with the Highest Stability on the Market

Image Credit: Anton Paar GmbH

UNHT³ is the first nanoindentation tester that achieves a low thermal drift of 10 fm/sec without depth correction, thanks to its unique patented active top surface referencing and Zerodur material with zero thermal expansion. The UNHT³ is the only nanoindentation tester capable of long-term measurements, including creep testing.

More than 600 Measurements Per Hour

Image Credit: Anton Paar GmbH

The UNHT³ Ultra Nanoindentation Tester's thermal stability allows instantaneous sample measurement following installation, eliminating the need for hours of stabilization. Thus, many samples can be measured independently during the day.

The Quick mode allows for more than 600 hourly measurements with actual indentation curves. User profiles, measurement methods, multi-sample measurements, and configurable reporting provide the best throughput on the market.

Additional Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) with “Sinus Mode”

Image Credit: Anton Paar GmbH

The integrated Sinus Mode enables DMA analysis for depth profiling of mechanical characteristics (HIT, EIT vs. depth) and measurement of viscoelastic properties (E', E'': storage and loss moduli, tan δ) in samples ranging from thin films to bulk materials. The Sinus Mode also includes capabilities like rapid indenter calibration and stress-strain analysis.

Step Platform: Maximum Instrument Versatility

Image Credit: Anton Paar GmbH

The Step platform supports extensive mechanical surface characterization testing. Whether the user wishes to conduct only nanoindentation experiments or supplement the results with scratch or AFM measurements, the Step platform always provides the best solution in terms of stability, noise isolation, and adaptability.

Measurements Under High Vacuum and High Temperatures up to 800 °C

Image Credit: Anton Paar GmbH

The HTV version of UNHT³ is the first ultra nanoindenter with a completely automated method for avoiding thermal drift, achieving <3 nm/min over the temperature range. This is accomplished by a unique and proprietary heating management system that concurrently manages the sample and indenter temperatures with an accuracy of 0.1 °C.

The indentation software controls the heating and ambient parameters, interfacing with the machine in real-time to reduce thermal drift and carry out all needed measurements. Users can prepare a set of indents (also available with the conventional UNHT³) with various temperature steps, and the instrument will conduct the measurements according to the preset matrix.

Technical Specifications

Source: Anton Paar GmbH

(1) optional

Patents

Active top surface referencing for UNHT³: US 7,685,868 B2