Friction at Atomic-Scale Surface Steps: Experiment and Theory
Other Condensed Matter
2008-10-02 v1
Abstract
Experiments performed by friction force microscopy at atomic-scale surface steps on graphite, MoS, and NaCl in ambient conditions are presented. Both step-down and step-up scans exhibit higher frictional forces at the edge, but distinguish in their load dependence: While the additional frictional force due to the step edge increases linearly with load if the tip has to jump a step up, it remains constant for downward jumps. This phenomena represents a universal effect that can be explained in terms of a modified Prandtl-Tomlinson model featuring a Schoebel-Ehrlich barrier at steps.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0810.0165,
title = {Friction at Atomic-Scale Surface Steps: Experiment and Theory},
author = {Hendrik Holscher and Daniel Ebeling and Udo D. Schwarz},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0810.0165},
year = {2008}
}