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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

High-Speed Magnetic Tweezers for Nanomechanical Measurements on Force-Sensitive Elements
Published on: May 12, 2023
Single-atom contact mechanics: from atomic scale energy barrier to mechanical relaxation hysteresis
André Schirmeisen1, Domenique Weiner, Harald Fuchs
1Physikalisches Institut, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Strasse 10, 48149 Münster, Germany. schirmeisen@uni-muenster.de
Abstract:
The potential energy landscape of surfaces governs the dynamics of adsorbed molecules, as well as atomic scale friction processes. We measure the potential energy landscape of a single-atom tip interacting with a vicinal nonconducting NaCl(100) surface in real space using noncontact atomic force microscopy. We find that the shape of the potential energy profile is of sinusoidal form with a barrier height of 48 meV. Furthermore, we observe a discontinuity in the force curves at specific lattice sites, indicating the onset of reversible yet hysteretic mechanical relaxations.
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