Part of Focus on Brownian Motion and Diffusion in the 21st Century

 

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Abstract

A theoretical description of friction force microscopy experiments in terms of a forced Brownian motion model is derived on the basis of microscopic considerations. Particular emphasis is put on the discussion of the relevant state variables/collective coordinates and on a realistic description of dissipation and inertia effects by means of comparison with experimental findings. The main new prediction of the model is a non-monotonic dependence of the friction force upon the pulling velocity of the AFM-tip relative to an atomically flat surface. The region around the force maximum can be approximately described by a universal scaling law and should be observable under experimentally realistic conditions.

 

PACS

05.40.Jc Brownian motion

46.55.+d Tribology and mechanical contacts

Subjects

Condensed matter: structural, mechanical & thermal

Statistical physics and nonlinear systems

Dates

Issue 1 (January 2005)

Received 31 August 2004

Published 31 January 2005