| Research Abstract |
In situ nanoscopic damage analyzer has been developed based upon 1) an environmental atomic force microscope capable of imaging sample surface in a controlled environment such as vacuum, humid or dry gases and/or liquids, 2) micromechanical fatigue testing machine capable of applying a small varying load with sufficient precision. and 3) an environmental chamber. By using the developed system, in situ nanoscopic surface damage can be successfully evaluated under a dynamic loading in a controlled environment. The atomic force microscope used in the system has a piezo scanner, laser semiconductor and other electric circuits all situated upon the sample, and at the same time they are fully isolated from the environment or environment chamber. Therefore, atomic force microscope imaging of the sample surface in a controlled environment such as humid gases can be successfully performed without the laser semiconductor and piezo scanner being exposed to (humid) environment. For mechanical and fatigue tests, an electro-magnetic actuator is used, and thereby a small load can be precisely applied to a micromaterial such as microelements used in micromachine and high-strength and high-elastic modulus fibers. In this investigation, the single fiber tensile and fatigue tests were conducted in precursor type high-strength and high-elastic modulus ceramic fibers, and nanoscopic fiber surface damage was evaluated, and the usefulness of the developed system has been demonstrated.
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