Atomic force microscopy technique can measure adhesion

Things get weird at tiny scales. The very smallest level, the classical Newtonian laws of physics break down and the counterintuitive world of quantum mechanics holds sway. But even at slightly larger levels, the familiar forces that govern our everyday world can no longer be dominant. For example, for microscopic mechanical devices, known as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMs), adhesive forces between surfaces are the most important to designers. Researchers at Brown University in Rhode Island have devised a method to measure this force accurately for the first time.

MEMs are becoming increasingly important as compact electronic devices such as mobile phones and wearables become more ubiquitous, cheaper and available to more people and for more applications. One of the most common MEMs is the accelerometer, vital to measuring the movement of the device, and an essential component in fitness trackers.