  The influence of lateral vibrations on the stick-slip motion of a nanotip
elastically pulled on a flat crystal surface is studied by atomic force
microscopy (AFM) measurements on a NaCl(001) surface in ultra-high vacuum. The
slippage of the nanotip across the crystal lattice is anticipated at increasing
driving amplitude, similarly to what is observed in presence of normal
vibrations. This lowers the average friction force, as explained by the
Prandtl-Tomlinson model with lateral vibrations superimposed at finite
temperature. Nevertheless, the peak values of the lateral force, and the total
energy losses, are expected to increase with the excitation amplitude, which
may limit the practical relevance of this effect.
