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Bridging the gap between nano and macro force measurement
Phase changing materials are systems that undergo to phase transition when a critical parameter crosses the threshold value. Interesting examples of mechanical phase changing materials can be found at very different scales ranging from atomic scale metallic wires to ionic liquids and even snow and ice. Investigating the mechanical properties of such systems however a very challenging task especially if one wants to have insight on the phase transition and the parameter affecting it. Tuning fork atomic force microscope (TF-AFM) is the set-up of choice to study mechanical properties of nanoscale material but despite this it has been usually discarded in studying phase changing materials. In this talk we will discuss how TF-AFM measurements allow to get information on the transition of three different materials : gold quantum point contact submitted to an external shear, ionic liquid under confinement and ice melting during macroscopic gliding.