Abstract
With a quartz crystal microbalance technique we have studied the nanofriction of neon monolayers deposited on a lead surface at a temperature around 7 K. Unlike heavier adsorbates, Ne is found to systematically slide at such low temperatures without any evidence of pinning. The crossing of the Pb superconducting-metal transition is not accompanied by any change in dissipation, suggesting that the electronic contribution to friction is negligible for this system.
- Received 16 April 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.016102
©2010 American Physical Society
Synopsis
Electrons or phonons–which are the bigger drag?
Published 9 July 2010
The sources of friction between two surfaces can be difficult to pin down.
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