Durability studies of micro/nanoelectromechanical systems materials, coatings and lubricants at high sliding velocities (up to 10 mm/s) using a modified atomic force microscope

Most micro/nanoelectromechanical (MEMS/NEMS) devices and components operate at very high sliding velocities (of the order of tens of mm/s to few m/s). Micro/nanoscale tribology and mechanics of these devices is crucial for evaluating reliability and failure issues. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies to investigate potential materials/coatings for these devices have been rendered inadequate due to inherent limitations on the highest sliding velocities achievable with commercial AFMs. We have developed a technique to study nanotribological properties at high sliding velocities (up to 10 mm/s) by modifying the commercial AFM setup with a customized closed loop piezo stage for mounting samples. Durability of materials, silicon, poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(dimethlysiloxane) (PDMS), diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating and lubricants such as self-assembled monolayer of hexadecanethiol (HDT) and perfluropolyethers Z-15 and Z-DOL used in MEMS/NEMS applications, is studied at various normal loads and sliding velocities. Wear mechanisms involved at high sliding velocities are discussed. The primary wear mechanisms are deformation of the contacting asperities due to impacts in the case of silicon; phase transformation from amorphous to low shear strength graphite for DLC; localized melting due to high frictional energy dissipation for PMMA and PDMS; and displacement or removal of lubricant molecules for HDT, Z-15, and Z-DOL. (c) 2005 American Vacuum Society.