Atomic simulation for adhesion problem on surfaces of micro gears

The next generation of MEMS devices will be so small that the finite element models are pushed to the atomic limit where they fail. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulations for adhesion problem in micro gear train are proposed. A simplified model is presented to simulate surface sliding between metals. The effects of driving forces and temperature on adhesion are analysed. The results show that the adhesion tends to occur between two micro gears after certain cycles and such adhesion accounts for the temperature increase. It is meaningful to prolong the lifetime of micro gear train by selecting proper parameters.