A Berkovich tip is a nano indenter used for testing the indentation hardness of a material. It is a three sided pyramid which is geometrically self similar. It has a very flat profile, with a total included angle of 142.3 degrees and a half angle of 65.35 degrees. The Berkovich tip has the same projected area to depth ratio as a Vickers indenter. The indenter was invented by Russian scientist E.S. Berkovich in the USSR c. 1950.[1][2]
As it is three sided, it is easier to grind these tips to a sharp point and so is more readily employed for nanoindentation type tests. It is typically used to measure bulk materials and films greater than 100 nanometres (3.9×10−6 in) thick.