Compact computer controlled biaxial tensile device for low-temperature transport measurements of layered materials.

The article focuses on the design, implementation, and testing of a compact biaxial tensile device for studying the transport properties of layered materials under controlled strain at cryogenic temperatures. The device, mounted on a standard 24-pin zero force connector, applies independent tensile strain along two orthogonal directions on a polyimide cruciform substrate, enabling deformation control in the temperature range of approximately 9–310 K within a cryocooler setup. Numerical simulations and experimental measurements demonstrate significant interdependence between strains along perpendicular axes, with applications illustrated by resistivity changes in quasi-one-dimensional TaSe3 and the layered compound 2H-NbS2 under biaxial strain. The device supports electrical transport measurements with a relay-based switching system for conductivity tensor components and is adaptable for other experimental techniques such as x-ray and Raman studies.