Surface texturing has proved to be very efficient in full and mixed lubrication, reducing the friction coefficient and the wear rate of mating surfaces. By partially texturing the inlet zone of a thrust washer pad load carrying capacity is generated in the system. In the present paper, a partially textured thrust bearing with square dimples is analysed theoretically using a thermohydrodynamic model. The equations are solved numerically by the finite-difference method. The bearing was realized by the photolithographic method and the theoretical results (fluid film thickness and friction torque) were compared with the experimental data obtained on the test rig. It is found that an optimal number of 12 sectors maximize the load carrying capacity of the bearing. The optimal textured fraction, which maximizes the load carrying capacity is 0.5 on the circumferential direction and 0.9-1 on the radial direction. A good correlation was found between the theoretical and experimental results for the two measured parameters (fluid film thickness and friction torque).

The reproducible micromachining of hollow metal tips on Si cantilevers and their applicability to scanning probe microscopy techniques are described. Provided with apertures below 130 nm and hollow pyramidal tips proved to be highly suited probes for scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM). First results of combined SFM/SNOM measurements together with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photographs of the new sensors are presented. The SNOM images show a resolution of about 100 nm demonstrating the usefulness of these probes.

Imaging of organic molecular films using a scanning near-field optical microscope combined with an atomic force microscope J.

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A process for the fabrication of diamond cantilevers integrated on a silicon wafer is presented. At one end the cantilevers possess a tip with a small radius of curvature thus allowing their use in scanning probe microscopy applications. The influence of various procedures to enhance diamond nucleation of the properties of the tips is investigated. Ultrasonic pretreatment with 1 μm diamond paste and subsequent hot-filament chemical-vapor deposition turned out to yield the best results. Micro-Raman measurements show the tips to consist of stress-free diamond up to their very apex.