14 Micro- and Nanotribology

Micro- and nanotribology is sometimes referred to as the tribology of miniature machines, i.e., micromachines, nanomachines, magnetic recording systems etc. When the machine elements are small, tribological performance is governed mainly by surface characteristics. While it is understood that the friction of macroscopic systems is proportional to the body force (density multiplied by volume), the friction of smaller components is dependent on surface forces. There is a great industrial demand for a solution to the tribological problems associated with miniature machines. Perhaps the answer lies in surface modifications. However, the true goal of micro- and nanotribology is to identify surface phenomena such as friction, wear and lubrication, from an atomic and molecular level. Hence analytical surface tools with atomic resolution are necessary for the study of micro- and nanotribology.