  Data from an instrument that measures conductance, stiffness and rupture
strength of junctions indicates that when two macroscopic metal surfaces are
brought into contact a nanometer size junction spontaneously forms over a long
time scale (~ 60 s). Furthermore, the parameters of junction rupture match the
observed dynamics of stick-slip friction. This suggests that stick-slip
friction has its origins in the formation and rupture of junctions that form
between surfaces in contact.
