title: Tuning diffusion and friction in microscopic contacts by mechanical excitations.
abstract: We demonstrate that lateral vibrations of a substrate can dramatically increase surface diffusivity and mobility and reduce friction at the nanoscale. Dilatancy is shown to play an essential role in the dynamics of a nanometer-size tip which interacts with a vibrating surface. We find an abrupt dilatancy transition from the state with a small tip-surface separation to the state with a large separation as the vibration frequency increases. Atomic force microscopy experiments are suggested which can test the predicted effects.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tshiprut
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Filippov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urbakh