IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Tribology Wednesday Sessions
       Session TR+MM-WeA

Paper TR+MM-WeA9
Surface Force Dynamics and Nanotribology of Self-healing Monolayers Applied to MEMS Lubrication: A Study Using Dip Pen Nanolithography

Wednesday, October 31, 2001, 4:40 pm, Room 132

Session: Nanotribology
Presenter: J.J. Nainaparampil, Systran Federal/MLBT
Authors: J.J. Nainaparampil, Systran Federal/MLBT
K.C. Eapen, UDRI/MLBT
J.S. Zabinski, AFRL/MLBT
Correspondent: Click to Email
Self-assembled monolayers (SAMS) have good potential for lubrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). However, monolayers tend to wear away relatively quickly, which limits their usefulness. Mechanisms for monolayer replenishment have the potential to expand the role of SAMS in MEMS lubrication schemes. The dynamics of adhesion and friction forces of self-healing monolayer coatings is studied using techniques derived from dip pen nanolithography (DPN). Typically, DPN makes use of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) to write patterns with 'ink' that is deposited on the cantilever tip or delivered through a nanometric aperture.@footnote 1,2@ An AFM is used here to write monolayer patterns of various thiols, nonane dione and aminoalkylsilane on gold, copper, aluminum and silicon surfaces. Nanotribological measurements of adhesion and lubricity are measured using a combination of topography and lateral force scans. Special patterns that constrain molecular surface diffusion were used to permit studies of wear and replenishment dynamics. Measurements made on thiol and nonane dione monolayers on gold surfaces showed that stronger adhesion occurs for thiol coatings compared to nonane dione. The effects of relative humidity, temperature and aging on surface forces and monolayer dynamics will be presented. @FootnoteText@@footnote 1@Richard D. Piner, Jin Zhu, Feng Xu, Seunghun Hong and Chad A. Mirkin, Science 283, (1999) 661. @footnote 2@Mun-Heon Hong, Ki Hyun Kim, Joono Bae and Wonho Jhe, Appl. Phys. Lett. 77(16) (2000) 2604.