A simple atomic force microscope-based method for quantifying wear of sliding probes.

Sliding wear is particularly problematic for micro- and nano-scale devices and applications, and is often studied at the small scale to develop practical and fundamental insights. While many methods exist to measure and quantify the wear of a sliding atomic force microscope (AFM) probe, many of these rely on specialized equipment and/or assumptions from continuum mechanics. Here we present a methodology that enables simple, purely AFM-based measurement of wear, in cases where the AFM probe wears to a flat plateau.