Kinetic friction force in a three-layer model with commensurate substrates

Abstract

A chain of harmonically interacting particles confined between two sinusoidal substrate potentials has been analysed. When the top substrate is driven through an attached spring with a constant velocity, the influence of the system parameters on the kinetic friction force was examined in the system with commensurate substrates. It was shown that the friction reached its maximum value when the equilibrium distance of the intermediate particles was an integer multiple of the space period of the upper and lower substrate potentials, which led to the maximum energy loss. This loss can be reduced by the increase of interparticle interaction of the middle layer.