# Getting started¶

Source code is hosted at Github.

To have more details about the use of the toolbox, please have a look to :

Getting_started.txt


## How to use the GUI for indentation data analysis ?¶

First of all a GUI is a Graphical User Interface.

• Create or update your personal YAML config. file stored in the YAML folder

See here how to create / modify your YAML file…

• Run the following Matlab script and answer ‘y’ or ‘yes’ to add path to the Matlab search paths :
path_management.m

• Then, run the following Matlab script :
demo.m

• The following window opens:

Figure 2 Screenshot of the main window of the NIMS toolbox.

• Import your (nano)indentation results, by clicking on the button ‘Select file’. Click here to have more details about valid format of data.
• A load-displacement curve is plotted (with a power law fit). The loading work is also given in the title of the plot.
• It is possible to plot the stiffness (raw data) without setting the GUI for Young’s modulus calculation.

Figure 3 File selector.

• Choose and set (if needed) the indenter used to obtain (nano)indentation data.
• Select the lowest and the highest depth values (optional).
• Set the CSM correction (Berkovich indenter only !) (optional).
• Set the number of layers of your sample (0 = only bulk material, 1/2/3 = 1 to 3 thin layers on a substrate) (see Figure 5).

Figure 5 Convention use to define multilayer specimen.

• Set the thickness, the Poisson’s coefficient and the Young’s modulus to each layer.
• Select the model to use for the contact displacement calculation and select the correction to apply.
• Select ‘Red. Young’s modulus(film+sub)’ or ‘Red. Young’s modulus(film)’ in order to plot the evolution of the reduced Young’s modulus (raw calculation) of the sample vs. the evolution of the reduced Young’s modulus (modeled) of the sample and/or of the thin film.
• Select the analytical bilayer or the multilayer model to use for the modelling of the reduced Young’s modulus of the top thin film.
• Press the button ‘SAVE’ and a YAML results file and a picture of the figure (.png format) are created and stored in the following folder.
• Press the button ‘FEM’ and generate a Python script to model nanoindentation of multilayer sample based on parameters used in the GUI for ABAQUS.

Figure 6 Plot of the evolution of the Young’s modulus of the sample with the elastic multilayer model in function of the indentation depth.

Figure 7 Plot of the evolution of the Young’s modulus of the film with the elastic multilayer model in function of the indentation depth.