2009 年 30 巻 10 号 p. 580-586
A new approach to systematically understand the physics of friction at the microscopic level is introduced, where the collective dynamics of quantum condensate of solid is used as a model system of friction at the solid interface. This approach is free from problems of wear, and makes reproducible experiments possible in a well controlled manner. In particular, we focus on the dynamics of driven vortices in superconductors, and investigated the velocity dependence of kinetic friction and the waiting-time dependence of the maximum static friction. Based on the experimental data, we discuss the condition for the validity of the Amontons-Coulomb's law, and propose a simple criterion for the issue.