Improved analysis and visualization of friction loop data: unraveling the energy dissipation of meso-scale stick–slip motion

In this paper we demonstrate a new method for analyzing and visualizing friction force measurements of meso-scale stick–slip motion, and introduce a method for extracting two separate dissipative energy components. Using a microelectromechanical system tribometer, we execute 2 million reciprocating sliding cycles, during which we measure the...

Controlling adhesion between multi-asperity contacting surfaces in MEMS devices by local heating

In this work, we have incorporated heaters in a MEMS device, which allow the in situ local heating of its contacting surfaces. This design offers a promising solution for MEMS devices with contacting components by preventing capillary-induced adhesion. The force of adhesion was assessed by optically measuring in-plane snap-off displacements. We...

In-Plane Displacement Detection With Picometer Accuracy on a Conventional Microscope

In this paper, we present a new method for detecting in-plane displacements in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) with an unprecedented sub-ångström accuracy. We use a curve-fitting method that is commonly employed in spectroscopy to find peak positions in a spectrum. We fit a function to the intensity profile of the image of a silicon beam...