Patent attributes
One embodiment of an micromechanical device includes a first contact surface, a moveable component having a second contact surface, where the second contact surface interacts with the first contact surface during device operation, and a gas-phase lubricant disposed between the first contact surface and the second contact surface, where the gas-phase lubricant is adapted to reduce stiction-related forces between the first contact surface and the second contact surface. One advantage of the disclosed device is that a gas-phase lubricant has a high diffusion rate and, therefore, is self-replenishing, meaning that it can quickly move back into a contact region after being physically displaced from the region by the contacting surfaces of the device during operation. Consequently, the gas-phase lubricant is more reliable than conventional solid or liquid lubricants in preventing stiction-related device failures.
