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Research Methods
At CHSLT there are several methods that are used in determining the properties of materials. The most predominant methods used at the CHSLT are Nanoindentation, and Electro-optic holography.
Nanoindentation is an experimental method of determining the properties of material on a point by point basis. In the Nanoindenter, the sample which is the material to be characterized (mounted on a hardened resin to immobilize it and then, polished to a very fine finish), is tested by determining penetration depth of an indenter subjected to a specific force. The indenter is a probe with a diamond tip of specific shape (tetrahedral, spherical, wedge, etc.) and dimensions raging from a few nanometers to many microns.
Electro-Optic Holography (EOH) is also another way of determining the properties of materials passively. By using current laser and computer technology it is able to see how an object will deform under strain. A normal setup is shown in the picture below.
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