Topographical modification of silicon (100) wafers was performed by the creation of nano-structures that consists of pillars with different pitch. The modified surfaces were investigated for their tribological characteristics at nano-scale in comparison with those of the bare silicon surface. Results showed that the modified surfaces have superior nano-tribological properties, as they reduce adhesion and friction forces significantly when compared to the bare silicon surface. Among the nano-structures, adhesion and friction forces reduce with the pitch. The topographical modification of silicon surfaces provides a promising solution to improve the tribological properties of miniaturized devices such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) in which silicon is a typically used material.

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