AVS 45th International Symposium
    The Science of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems Topical Conference Tuesday Sessions
       Session MM+NS+SS-TuM

Invited Paper MM+NS+SS-TuM3
Nanotribology of Vapor-Phase Lubricants and Their Potential Applications to MEMS@footnote 1@

Tuesday, November 3, 1998, 9:00 am, Room 324/325

Session: Micro-Science and Tribology of MEMS
Presenter: J. Krim, North Carolina State University
Correspondent: Click to Email
The concept of lubricating high temperature surfaces with organic vapors has existed for at least forty years, with substantial efforts beginning in the 1980's and continuing on to the present day. Vapor-phase lubricants are advantageous for use at high temperature, as well as in situations where the vapor can be used as a reservoir for replenishment of areas where the lubricant has been depleted in the course of device operation. While work in the area of vapor-phase lubrication has to date focussed on the lubrication of macroscopic systems, vapor lubrication mechanisms may ultimately prove to be of critical importance to sub-micron mechanical systems in cases where lubricant delivery and/or replenishment by other methods proves impractical. In order to examine the viability of vapor-phase lubrication at length scales commensurate with submicron-scale machinery, we have constructed a Quartz Crystal Microbalance which operates in combination with a Scanning Probe Microscope so as to form a simple nanometer-scale mechanical system whose response to a number of vapor-phase lubricants can be monitored for nanotribological performance. Our observations of organic and water-vapor films recorded with this device will be discussed. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@Work supported by NSF and AFOSR