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2002
Journal Article
Titel
Scanning probe techniques in material science: Methods and applications
Alternative
Rastersondentechniken in der Werkstoffwissenschaft: Methoden und Anwendungen
Abstract
In this paper some special methods of material analysis by scanning probe microscopy (SPM) will be described. First, the influence of tip convolution on the evaluation of sizes and distances of nanometer particles from SPM images will be discussed for the case of metallic particles in a diamond-like carbon (DLC) matrix. Even more interesting for material scientists are the possibilities of SPM to yield material-specific information. Two simple methods will be described, which allow to distinguish different materials by their electrical or frictional properties, i.e. giving a material contrast between different phases! It will be further shown that removing material in a controlled way by microwear experiments may yield distinct information about the influence of the materials structure on the mechanical strength of a material. Finally, AFM-based nanoindentation allows quantitative local determination of hardness and Young's modulus with resolutions down to the submicron range which is highly useful for metallographic investigations of e.g. precipitations.