Three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations of AFM-based nanometric cutting monocrystalline copper with pin tool radius of 0.713 nm are performed to investigate the effect of uncut chip thicknesses (0.1805 nm, 0.361 nm, 0.5415 nm, 0.722 nm, 0.9025 nm, 1.0875 nm, and 1.268 nm) on the depth of subsurface deformed layers. The EAM potential and Morse potential are utilized respectively to compute the interactions between workpiece atoms, the interactions between workpiece atoms and tool atoms. The single-atom potential energy variations of the workpiece atoms within the subsurface regions during the cutting process are obtained and analyzed through a deformation criterion to determine the deformation behaviors of subsurface atoms. The simulation results reveal that the depth of subsurface deformed layers is affected by the AFM pin tool's rake angle. At each uncut chip thickness, the AFM pin tool presents different negative rake angles, consequently different degrees of deformation in the subsurface take place. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.