Measurement of mechanical properties of one-dimensional nanostructures with combined multi-probe platform

New materials and nanostructures with superior mechanical and electronic properties are emerging for development of novel devices. Their engineering application requires accurate mechanical characterization, which, in turn, requires novel experimental techniques. In this paper, we report a recently developed multi-probe mechanical testing system and a few of its typical applications in studying mechanical behaviors of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures, which include analyzing clamping strength of electron beam induced deposition (EBID) for Si nanowires and the tungsten substrate, retrieving Young’s modulus of a Si nanowire using tunable resonance method, and investigating thermal fatigue behavior of nanoscale interconnect lines bearing alternating current. We find this testing system can be easily used for clamping, loading, and measuring various 1D nanostructures.