Ultra-low friction configuration

Abstract

Briefly, embodiments of a configuration for ultra-low friction is disclosed

1 . An apparatus comprising: a device exhibiting ultra-low friction.  
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said device comprises a device exhibiting ultra-low dynamic friction.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said device exhibits ultra-low dynamic friction at least in part by substantially counterbalancing net weight of a first object with van der Waals repulsion between the first object and a second object.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said device comprises a device exhibiting ultra-low static friction.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said device exhibits static friction below a value, wherein said value is ultra-low.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said device exhibits ultra-low static friction at least in part by substantially counterbalancing net weight of a first object with van der Waals repulsion between the first object and a second object.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the spatial relationship between the first object and the second object is not necessarily perfectly vertically oriented.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said objects comprise metallic material.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said objects comprise at least partially birefringent material.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein one of said objects comprises a disk and the other of said objects comprises a plate.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said disk is around 20 microns thick.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said disk has a diameter of around 40 microns.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said objects are separated by a fluid.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said fluid comprises ethanol.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said disk is substantially free to rotate.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said objects are separated by a relatively small distance sufficient to maintain the counterbalancing.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said distance is sufficiently small so that van der Waals forces between said objects are not negligible.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said distance is sub-micron.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said device is incorporated into at least one of the following: an actuator; an accelerometer; a gyroscope; a compass and/or a high sensitivity sensor.  
   
   
       20 . An apparatus comprising: a device made of materials selected so that van der Waals forces between at least some of said materials are repulsive.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said materials have a respective dielectric function, ε N , in which N is 1, 2, 3 such that for imaginary frequencies ε 1 <ε 3 <ε 2 ; and the material corresponding to dielectric function ε 3  corresponds to a fluid separating the other materials.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said materials have a respective dielectric function, ε N , in which N is 1, 2, 3 such that for imaginary frequencies ε 2 <ε 3 <ε 1 ; and, the material corresponding to dielectric function ε 3  corresponds to a fluid separating the other materials.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said repulsive van der Waals forces substantially counterbalance one or more other forces in said device.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said one or more forces comprise net weight of a portion of solid material.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said materials include at least one of the following: quartz; calcite; and/or barium titanate.  
   
   
       26 . A method of producing ultra-low friction comprising: 
 combining materials so that van der Waals forces between at least some of said materials are repulsive.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said materials have a respective dielectric function, ε N , in which N is 1, 2, 3 such that for imaginary frequencies ε 1 <ε 3 <ε 2 ; and the material corresponding to dielectric function ε 3  corresponds to a fluid separating the other materials.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said materials have a respective dielectric function, ε N , in which N is 1, 2, 3 such that for imaginary frequencies ε 2 <ε 3 <ε 1 ; and, the material corresponding to dielectric function ε 3  corresponds to a liquid separating the other materials.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said repulsive van der Waals forces substantially counterbalance one or more other forces in said device.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more forces comprise net weight of a portion of solid material.  
   
   
       31 . An apparatus comprising means for producing ultra-low static friction and a sensor to sense said ultra-low static friction.  
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein said means for producing ultra-low static friction comprises means for substantially counterbalancing net weight of a first object with van der Waals repulsion between the first object and a second object.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein said objects comprise metallic material.