Abstract
We verify an important prediction of Hertz theory [J. Reine Angew. Math. 92, 156 (1882)] for hard microcontacts, namely, the hemispherical pressure distribution in the contact area. Therefore, a confocal microscope was used to measure the local spectral shifts of the fluorescence lines in a ruby (Al2O3:Cr3+) sphere of R=78μm radius compressed between two sapphire (Al2O3) plates. From the spectral shifts the local stress was calculated. At a load of 4.3N the radius of the circular contact area was measured to be a=(11.2±1.0)μm. A hemispherical pressure distribution was observed with a maximal normal pressure of P0=(12.7±2.2)GPa.
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