A novel Peltier based low temperature in situ nanoindentation system

A compact Peltier-based nanoindentation setup is presented for in situ low temperature testing down to 236 K inside a scanning electron microscope. Key hardware developments are discussed along with calibrations showing the reliable temperature measurements, low thermal drift, and low noise levels of the setup. Reference samples of fused silica and tungsten were indented at different temperatures to test the reliability of the setup. The results demonstrate the setup's capability to perform stable and accurate mechanical testing under nominally low temperature conditions, supporting its application for temperature dependent material characterization.