Nano/microtribology Stick-Slip Number Under an Atomic Force Microscope and Its Characteristics

Abstract

The atomic force microscope (AFM) has become a main instrument in observing nano/microtribological characteristics of sample surfaces. In this paper, we investigated the micro-scale adhesive contact between the AFM tip and the sample surface based on the Maugis–Dugdale contact model, and analyzed the energy conversion and dissipation process during the AFM scanning process. A dimensionless stick-slip number η = √8U1h2/(kθRs 2) was defined, which can serve as a characteristic index for the appearance of nano/microtribology stick-slip behavior. If the stick-slip number is less than one, i.e., η 1 does the stick-slip behavior appear in the AFM lateral force signal accompanied by an obvious energy dissipation. The defined stick-slip number demonstrates that the nano/microtribological stick-slip behavior is due to the adhesive hysteresis as well as the instability motion of the AFM tip during the scanning process. Finally, the influence on nano/microtribology stick-slip behavior of sample surface energy, surface topography, scanning velocity, spring constant of AFM cantilever probe, etc. are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Various experimental results of nano/microtribology stick-slip behavior under AFM are successfully interpreted according to the stick-slip number.