Measuring anisotropic friction on WTe2 using atomic force microscopy in the force-distance and friction modes

Layered materials which can be easily cleaved have proved to be excellent samples for the study of atomic scale friction. The layered transition metal dichalcogenides have been particularly popular. These materials exhibit a number of interesting properties ranging from superconductivity to low frictional coefficients. In this paper we have investigated the tribology of the dichalcogenide-WTe2. The coefficient of friction is less than 0.040 along the Te rows and increases to over 0.045 across the rows. The frictional forces almost doubled at normal loads of 5000 nN when scanning in the [010] direction in comparison to the [100] direction. The frictional responses of the AFM probe have been monitored in the frictional force and force-versus-distance (f-d) mode. A comparison between the outcomes using the two different modes demonstrates the factors which need to be considered for accurate measurements.