Phenomenological modeling of long range noncontact friction in micro- and nanoresonators

TL;DR

This paper investigates noncontact friction in micro- and nanoresonators, proposing phenomenological models based on experimental data and Casimir forces, revealing potential limitations on resonator quality factors due to energy loss mechanisms.

Contribution

It introduces two phenomenological models to explain noncontact friction and assesses their impact on the energy loss and quality factors of micro- and nanoresonators.

Findings

Noncontact friction can significantly reduce resonator quality factors.

Casimir force-based model provides quantitative estimates of energy loss.

Unknown dissipation mechanisms may limit micro- and nanoresonator performance.

Abstract

Motivated by the results of an experiment using atomic force microscopy performed by Gotsmann and Fuchs [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 86}, 2597 (2001)], where a strong energy loss due to the tip-sample interaction was measured, we investigate the potential implications of this energy loss channel to the quality factor of suspended micro- and nanoresonators. Because the observed tip-sample dissipation remains without a satisfactory theoretical explanation, two phenomenological models are proposed to generalize the experimental observations. A minimal phenomenological model simply extends for larger separations the range of validity of the power law found experimentally for the damping coefficient. A more elaborate phenomenological model assumes that the noncontact friction is a consequence of the Casimir force acting between the closely spaced surfaces. Both models provide quantitative results for the noncontact friction between any two objects which are then used to estimate the energy loss for suspended bar micro- and nanoresonators. Its is concluded that the energy loss due to the unknown mechanism has the potential to seriously restrict the quality factor of both micro- and nanoresonators.