Indian Economy News

An Indian scientist creates a revolutionary technique to enhance the precision and accuracy of nanomechanical testing technologies

An Indian researcher has created a revolutionary technique that may be used in conjunction with two international organizations to evaluate the nanomechanical properties of materials at incredibly small sizes with high precision and accuracy. The new methodology not only significantly improves the precision and accuracy of what is known as the nanoindentation technique or testing of mechanical strength, but also enables testing at much higher rates, thus facilitating high throughput.

The nanoindentation technique was developed by Dr. Warren Oliver (KLA Corp.) and Mr. John Pethica (Oxford University) in the 1980s because conventional testing methods were not always practical at nanoscales, which are typical of the order of 1/100th of the diameter of a human hair. Dr. Warren Oliver and George Pharr (Texas A&M University) proposed the analysis procedure in their seminal work, which had a significant impact on a wide range of scientific research.

The method has been widely employed to assess the durability of structural materials and semiconductor devices that have permeated every sphere of our everyday lives through electronic devices. The technique has been used for a wide range of applications, from identifying cancerous cells to establishing how meteorites are formed in deep space.

In developing the new methodology, Dr. Sudharshan Phani of the Advanced Nanomechanical Characterization (ANC) Centre at the Centre for Engineered Coatings, International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, collaborated with Dr. Warren Oliver at KLA and Prof. George Pharr of Texas A & M University.

To understand the material response during an indentation test and then modify the process to increase precision and accuracy, the unique approach combined comprehensive modelling and simulation. Extremely challenging tests have also been used to validate the modelling results.

The novel technology is anticipated to have an impact on a wide range of scientific studies on measuring the strength of materials at small scales. It sets the standard for high precision and high accuracy nanoindentation measurements at far higher rates than what is conventionally feasible.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.