Thermolubricity in atomic-scale friction

K. B. Jinesh, S. Yu. Krylov, H. Valk, M. Dienwiebel, and J. W. M. Frenken
Phys. Rev. B 78, 155440 – Published 30 October 2008

Abstract

In this paper, we use a set of rate equations to describe the thermal activation of a tip moving along a one-dimensional lattice, including the possibility of multiple back and forth jumps between neighboring potential wells. This description of an atomic-scale friction experiment is used to investigate how temperature acts as a lubricant, an effect that we refer to as thermolubricity. We discuss the detailed theoretical aspects of the model, which explains many aspects of the variation in atomic friction over a wide range of temperatures, velocities, and surface corrugations. We conclude that friction at low velocities and low surface corrugations is much lower than the weak logarithmic velocity dependence predicted before. Another consequence of the model is the trivial result that friction is zero in the zero-velocity limit. We confront numerical results from our theoretical model with experiments, in which the surface corrugation was controlled by use of geometrical effects, to demonstrate the experimental existence of thermolubricity. Although the calculations produce excellent fits to our data, the values of the fitting parameters clearly indicate that the underlying single-spring model suffers from an intrinsic flaw, which we ascribe to either the absence of flexibility of the tip or the restriction to a one-dimensional sliding geometry.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
3 More
  • Received 29 April 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.78.155440

©2008 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

K. B. Jinesh*, S. Yu. Krylov, H. Valk, M. Dienwiebel, and J. W. M. Frenken§

  • Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

  • *Present address: NXP Semiconductors, HTC4, 5656 AE, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
  • Present address: Institute of Physical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect 31, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
  • Present address: Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoffmechanik IWM, Woehlerstr. 11, 79108 Freiburg, Germany.
  • §Corresponding author; frenken@physics.leidenuniv.nl

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 78, Iss. 15 — 15 October 2008

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review B

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×