Stiction (a portmanteau of the words static and friction)[1] is the force that needs to be overcome to enable relative motion of stationary objects in contact.[2] Any solid objects pressing against each other (but not sliding) will require some threshold of force parallel to the surface of contact in order to overcome static adhesion.[3] Stiction is a threshold, not a continuous force. However, stiction might also be an illusion made by the rotation of kinetic friction.[4]
In situations where two surfaces with areas below the micrometer scale come into close proximity (as in an accelerometer), they may adhere together. At this scale, electrostatic and/or Van der Waals and hydrogen bonding forces become significant. The phenomenon of two such surfaces being adhered together in this manner is also called stiction. Stiction may be related to hydrogen bonding or residual contamination.