ABSTRACT
Adhesion at the nanoscale and between MEMS/NEMS components can be unique both physically and in the manner in which it is measured [1]. Unpredictable topographies, size-dependent deformation mechanisms, compliance of surface coatings, and the statistical nature of device/surface fabrication are just a few complexities that lead to a rich diversity of adhesion behavior at the nanoscale [1-8]. An equal challenge is that nanoscale adhesion is often most conveniently measured with scanning probe microscopies, which can measure very small forces, but provide only limited information about the contact geometry [9, 10], thus making difficult the validation of suitable contact mechanics models.
