  We introduce a new nanoindentation method to continuously measure the
hardness while sweeping through orders of magnitudes of strain rates within a
single experiment. While nanoindentation already allows the determination of
the strain rate sensitivity of materials by means of strain rate jump tests,
these are typically limited to few discrete strain rates. With the new method,
the strain rate sensitivity can be measured continuously as a function of the
strain rate. Applications to fused silica, Zn-22 %Al superplastic alloy, single
crystalline aluminum, various nanocrystalline metals and a palladium-based
metallic glass are shown. Besides some discrepancy with the reference
measurements, the new method seems only affected by the presence of a strong
nanoindentation size effect. Provided this indentation size effect is not
excessively large and can be corrected for accurately, the method proves
robust, with no suggestion that the direction of the strain rate sweep affects
the evaluation of the strain rate sensitivity.
