Elastic properties in small scale devices, such as micro- or nano electro-mechanical systems (MEMS or NEMS) are extremely important due to their direct impact on the dynamic response or overall reversible deformation during application. However, most synthesis techniques for such devices are based on thin film deposition, which results in only limited capabilities for bulk modulus measurements and therefore the need for dedicated measurement techniques, such as nanoindentation or ultrasonic attenuation, arises. However, these methods can have their own drawbacks especially with regards to limited film thickness or non-negligible roughness.

The present work showcases a novel technique based on micromechanical spectroscopy (µMS) on cantilever shaped specimens with dimensions in the single micron range. In situ frequency sweep experiments in the resonance regime of the nanoindentation device in contact with the cantilevers allows for resonance peak shift measurements of the combined system depending on the loading position. Based on the physical model of a single degree of freedom oscillator this resonance peak position can be translated to stiffness values of the cantilever shaped volume without the influence of the cantilever base. The results on a wide range of materials systems from low modulus β-Ti alloys to high modulus diamond will be discussed in the framework of size dependent couple stress theory revealing a novel method to determine accurate macroscopic modulus measurements from microscopic experiments.