METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INDENTATION, SCRATCH OR TRIBOLOGICAL TESTING

摘要

A scratch tester is described, in which a film or coating on a sample (10) is scratched by a stylus (14) in order to examine qualities such as its cohesion or adhesion to the substrate. Simultaneously or subsequently, the scratched surface is illuminated by laser light, e.g. through a microscope (42), in order to generate Raman scattered light. The Raman scattered light passes back through the microscope (42) and is analysed to determine stresses or strains present in the scratched region. This enables the determination of quantitative information about the quality of the film or coating. Similar Raman analysis methods may be used in indentation testing and tribological testing.