Superlubricity mechanism for micro electro mechanical systems

A new regime of friction-superlubricity-where friction completely vanishes has recently been discovered. This paper discusses superlubricity mechanisms, which can be utilized for Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), such as microvalves and micro-assembly systems. From studying friction properties such as the dependence of interfacial lattice misfits and of normal load, it is found that superlubricity is stable under high contact pressure conditions. Experimental evidence of superlubricity is presented by examining systems of sliding atomically clean surfaces by using ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy. We have, consequently, proposed the methods for controlling friction and for bonding surfaces by using the superlubricity mechanisms.