E Gnecco et al 2001 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13 R619 doi:10.1088/0953-8984/13/31/202
E Gnecco, R Bennewitz, T Gyalog and E Meyer
Show affiliationsIn this review, we present various results obtained by friction force microscopy in the last decade. Starting with material-specific contrast, commonly observed in friction force maps, we discuss how the load dependence of friction and the area of contact have been estimated and compared to elasticity theories. The features observed in a sliding process on the atomic scale can be interpreted within the Tomlinson model. An extension of the model, including thermal effects, predicts a smooth velocity dependence of friction, which recent experiments have confirmed. Other subjects like anisotropy of friction, role of environment, topographical effects, electronic friction and tip modifications are also discussed. The growing importance of molecular dynamics simulations in the study of tribological processes on the atomic scale is outlined.
62.20.Qp Friction, tribology, and hardness
Issue 31 (6 August 2001)
Received 14 May 2001
Published 19 July 2001
E Gnecco et al 2001 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13 R619
Axel Gelfert and Wolfgang Nolting 2001 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13 R505
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