Spatial evolution of friction of a textured wafer surface

Mechanical failure of integrated circuits and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) demands new understanding of friction in small devices. In present research, we demonstrated an in situ approach to measure sliding friction of a patterned surface composing multi-materials and structures. The effects of materials and surface morphology on friction and electrical contact resistance were investigated. The material transfer at the interface of dissimilar materials was found to play dominating roles in friction. The current work provides important insights from the fundamentals of friction that benefit the design of new micro-devices.