A new method to measure torsion moments on small-scaled specimens

As a result of a continuous evolution in the field of small-scaled components, an increasing need exists for mechanical characterization of single structures and materials in micrometer dimensions. Moreover, for a detailed analysis of the deformation and failure behavior, it is often necessary to perform investigations under multiaxial loading in addition to uniaxial loading. A simple possibility to create defined multiaxial stress-strain fields is offered by a torsion experiment. In the frame of this work, a new method is presented, which allows determining torsion moments applied to wires as thin as 10 μm in monotonic as well as cyclic manner. Besides a detailed description of the measuring principle, the experimental setup and the first results will be presented. In particular, investigations on gold wires with diameters ranging from 10 to 60 μm, applying torsion moments in the nNm regime, are shown.