A Mechanism of Sliding on the Nanometer-Thick Ag Layers

Tribological performance of sub-nano to nanometer-thick Ag layers deposited on Si(111) have been examined to understand the role of surface thin layers to the wear and friction characteristics. The slider was made of diamond sphere of 3 mm in radius. Sliding tests were carried out in an ultra-high vacuum environment (lower than 4 × 10−8 Pa) and analyzed in-situ by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) for the quantitative thickness-measurements, by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) to clarify the substrate cleanliness and crystallography of the Ag films, and by scanning probe microscopy (SPM) for the morphology of the deposited/slid film surfaces. As the results, a minimum of the friction coefficient 0.007 was observed from the film thickness range of 1.5–10 nm, and exactly no worn particles were found after 100 cycles of reciprocal sliding. Results have directly indicated that solid Ag(111) sliding planes allowed to reduce the friction coefficient very low without any detectable wear particles, and Ag nanocrystallites in Ag polycrystalline layers increase the size to 20–40 nm order, during sliding. The friction coefficient was slightly dependent to the normal load. Results were discussed on the role of the surface atoms to the friction, and a mechanism of sliding on Ag thin layers.Copyright © 2005 by ASME