FRICTION AND MEASUREMENT OF FRICTION ON A NANOMETER-SCALE

The emerging field of nanotechnology deals with mechanical structures and their properties in the nanometer range. The nanometer length scal e is mostly beyond the resolution of classical tribometers. However, t he scanning force and friction microscope operated as a tribometer is a suitable tool for the investigation of nanotribological properties. The scanning force and friction microscope measures simultaneously for ces normal and parallel to the sample surface with a resolution down t o the atomic scale. Measurements of the friction coefficient of silico n nitride tips against a flat mica surface and against a silicon oxide surface with indium clusters 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 chemical sensitivity of th e scanning force and friction microscope operated under ambient condit ions makes this instrument a promising candidate for a standardized to ol in nanotribology.