NANOTRIBOLOGY - FRICTION ON A NANOMETER-SCALE

The submicrometer length scale is mostly beyond the resolution of clas sical tribometers. The Scanning Force and Friction Microscope operated as a nanotribometer is a suitable tool for the investigation of nanot ribological properties. The Scanning Force and Friction Microscope mea sures simultaneously forces normal and parallel to the sample surface with a resolution down to the atomic scale. The setup of a Scanning Fo rce Microscope based nanotribometer, its calibration and the methods f or quantitative data analysis are discussed. It is shown that a two-di mensional histogram analysis yields quantitative data on the distribut ion of the indium on a nanometer scale. The concepts are applied to th e analysis of a silicon oxide surface with indium clusters are discuss ed. The chemical sensitivity of the Scanning Force and Friction Micros cope operated under ambient condition makes this instrument a promisin g candidate for a standardized tool in nanotribology.