Stick-slip motion in a driven two-nonsinusoidal Remoissenet–Peyrard potential

Frictional stick-slip dynamics is studied theoretically and numerically in a model of a particle interacting with two deformable potentials, one of which is externally driven. We focus our attention on a class of parameterized one-site potential URP(φ, r) whose shape can be varied as a function of parameter r and which has the sine-Gordon shape as the particular case. Periodic stick-slip, erratic and intermittent motions, characterized by force fluctuations, and sliding above the critical velocity are the three regimes that are identified in the motion of the driven plate. The onset of chaos is studied through an analysis of the phase space, and a computation of the Lyapunov exponent. This study strongly suggests that stick-slip dynamics is characterized by chaotic behavior of the top plate and the embedded molecular system, and is strongly dependent on the deformable parameter r.