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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | A P R I L 2 0 1 7
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material properties and structure. Brit-
MAPP researchers are currently analyz-
ing glass-to-metal seals, which are vital
to sending electrical signals through
hermetic systems. While accurate qual-
itative predictions can be made about
the performance of these seals, the next
step is to validate lifetime predictions.
“If component designers just want
to know, is Design A better than Design
B, I can tell you that quickly,” explains
researcher Brenton Elisberg. “If you
want to know more specifically if and
when Design A is going to fail, then
that’s when we run a more complex
TINY MICROSCOPE TAPS
POTENTIAL OF MEMS
Researchers at The University of
Texas at Dallas created a prototype of a
tiny atomic force microscope (AFM) on
a chip using microelectromechanical
systems (MEMS) technology commonly
found in smartphone accelerometers
and gyroscopes. The prototype 1-cm2
AFM is attached to a printed circuit
board about half the size of a credit card
and operates in “tapping mode”—a tiny
cantilever with a sharp tip oscillates
up and down, scanning across a mate-
rial’s surface. While the amplitude of
the oscillation wants to change with
the sample’s topography, the device
maintains it, creating feedback that
translates into a nanoscale image. This
method prevents damage to the device
and sample, which can occur in other
AFM methods where constant contact
occurs between the tip and surface.
Conventional AFMs are much
larger, requiring lasers and other
bulky components, and cost between
$30,000 for educational versions to
more than $500,000 for laboratory
units. Because MEMS can be mass pro-
duced, the entire miniature AFM system
could cost only a few thousand dollars.
Developers foresee demand across a
range of applications. For example, the
Bruker, Billerica, Mass., ac-
quired Hysitron Inc., Minneap-
olis, a manufacturer of nanome-
chanical test instrumentation.
The acquisition complements
Bruker’s existing portfolio of
atomic force microscopes,
surface profilometers, and tri-
bology and mechanical testing
systems
BRIEFS
A newMEMS-based atomic force micro-
scope is just 1 cm2 in size (top center).
Here it is attached to a small printed cir-
cuit board that contains circuitry, sensors,
and other miniaturized components that
control the movement and other aspects
of the device. Courtesy of UT Dallas.
TESTING | CHARACTERIZATION
To show how simulation-based engineering can as-
sist manufacturers, Purdue demonstrated to Knauf
Insulation howmechanical loads are transmitted in
porous glass fiber materials.
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., launched The Indiana Consortium
for Simulation-Based Engineering of Materials and Structures (ICSEMS), com-
prised of engineering faculty and facilities. The consortium offers partner-
ships with Indiana-based manufacturers, providing technical expertise and
infrastructure for computer modeling—specifically for stress and deformation
analysis, fatigue and fracture, shape optimization, and materials selection.
ICSEMS also offers education and training for the engineering workforce and
a platform for running open-source simulation software
semiconductor industry could use the
tiny AFM to detect micro-faults on sil-
icon wafer surfaces before shipment.
SIMULATION SEES DECADES
INTO THE FUTURE
Scientists at Sandia National Lab-
oratory, Albuquerque, N.M., are ad-
vancing quantitative prediction capa-
bilities for brittle components to ensure
they remain fully functional
over a 30-year lifespan. Using
a combination of experimental
materials data and computer
modeling, the Brittle Materials
Assurance Prediction Program
(BritMAPP) examines stress and
loading, fracture mechanics,
and the relationship between
Brenton Elisberg, left, and Ryan Jamison
look through a piece of cracked laminate
glass, an example of how brittle materials
can fail. Courtesy of Randy Montoya.