Research
Our mission statement
We pioneer the development of nanomechanical testing techniques to address current challenges in materials engineering. Our goal is to understand the mechanical behavior of materials across all length scales.
Understanding deformation mechanisms at the micrometer to nanometer scale is crucial for predicting the lifetime of engineering systems, as failures are usually initiated at microscopic weak spots. However, conventional macroscopic characterization techniques are not suitable for this purpose. In our research group, we overcome these experimental challenges by developing innovative nanomechanical methods, which we integrate with high-resolution imaging and analytical characterization. This approach allows us to identify microscopic deformation processes. Our core expertise lies in nanoindentation, electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and focused ion beam microscopy (FIB-SEM).