The main objective of the project was to study the validity of Amonton’s Law at the microscale. This law, first stated 300 years ago, says friction force is proportional to normal force (normal means perpendicular to the surfaces). Although it remains a good description of friction today, there are interesting deviations from Amonton’s Law, especially at low normal forces, where adhesion between the two surfaces is thought to contribute an extra force. Because of the large surface-to-volume ratio at the microscale, these adhesive forces could cause a strong deviation from Amonton’s Law.

(March 31, 2004) Palo Alto, Calif.&#8212
Agilent Technologies has established a System-on-a-chip (SOC) Design Center in Gurgaon, India, near New Delhi. The center, part of an existing facility that employs 1,000 Agilent workers, provides ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) and system design services to customers of Agilent’s ASIC Products Division.