Properties of tribolayers formed by frictional contact of metals and semiconductors in liquid helium

Abstract The frictional contact of solids in liquid helium evokes a number of unexpected phenomena caused by the abrupt change in the physical properties of the tribolayer. The friction of Nb-Nb results in strong amorphization of the metal and a decrease in the friction coefficient to anomalously low values. The electroconductivity of a germanium tribolayer increases by five to six orders of magnitude at liquid helium temperature. A considerable rise in the critical temperature of the superconducting transition of the Ge-Pb system formed by friction in liquid helium is of special interest. Scientific studies in the field of low temperature friction appear potentially attractive.