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Non-Monotonic Velocity Dependence of Atomic Friction

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Abstract

We study the velocity dependence of the frictional force of the tip of an atomic force microscope as it is dragged across a surface, taking into account memory effects and thermal fluctuations. Memory effects are described by a coupling of the tip to low frequency excitation modes of the surface in addition to the coupling to the periodic corrugation potential. We find that when the excitation mode frequency is comparable to the characteristic frequency corresponding to the motion of the tip across the surface, the velocity dependence of the frictional force is non-monotonic, displaying a velocity range where the frictional force can decrease with increasing velocity. These results provide theoretical support for the interpretation of recent experiments which find a frictional force that decreases with velocity on surfaces covered with a monolayer.

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Acknowledgments

We thank T. Ala-Nissila for helpful discussions and suggestions. E.G. was supported by Fundação de Amparo á Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo - FAPESP (Grant No. 07/08492-9). S.C.Y. also acknowledges FAPESP (Grant No. 09/01942-4) for supporting a visit to Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório Associado de Sensores e Materiais, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, 12227-010 São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil

    Enzo Granato

  2. Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA

    S. C. Ying

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  1. Enzo Granato
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  2. S. C. Ying
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Correspondence to Enzo Granato.

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Granato, E., Ying, S.C. Non-Monotonic Velocity Dependence of Atomic Friction. Tribol Lett 39, 229–233 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-010-9595-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-010-9595-3

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