Contact resistances

Until recently, the issue of contact resistance was hardly mentioned in papers dealing with OTFTs because the performance of the devices was so low that the current flowing between source and drain was only limited by the resistance of the channel. With improvement of the charge-carrier mobility, this is no longer true limitations by contact resistance are becoming increasingly crucial, and finding ways to reduce these limitations has become a key issue. 

Most of the adhesion layers shown in table I show acceptable contact resistance either to Si or TiSi2. Sputtered TiN, however, has been reported to give high contact resistance to silicon. It has been claimed that by sputtering first a thin Ti layer the high contact resistance to Si can be lowered. 

An advantage of the use of existing barrier layers like TiW and TiN is that the contact resistance is already characterized. The introduction of tungsten plugs in an existing process, where TiN or TiW was already in use, 

It cannot be emphasized enough that the determination of the contact resistance is not a trivial matter. First, a decision about what measuring structure must be made (four terminal Kelvin, sheet end or other structures) and what correction factors for the current crowding will have to be used. Then extreme care should be taken such that no over etching of the contact down into the silicon occurs and that the correct contact size is 

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Pure silver has a brilliant white metallic luster. It is a little harder than gold and is very ductile and malleable, being exceeded only by gold and perhaps palladium. Pure silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of all metals, and possesses the lowest contact resistance. It is stable in pure air and water, but tarnishes when exposed to ozone, hydrogen sulfide, or air containing sulfur. The alloys of silver are important. 

A third group includes silver—nickel, silver—cadmium oxide, and silver—graphite combinations. These materials are characterized by low contact resistance, some resistance to arc erosion, and excellent non sticking characteristics. They can be considered intermediate in overall properties between silver alloys and silver or copper—refractory compositions. Silver—cadmium oxide compositions, the most popular of this class, have wide appHcation in aircraft relays, motor controllers, and line starters and controls. 

In the simplest case, for a single citcular contact spot between identical metals having a uniform film, contact resistance R has the relationship ... 

Because a length of metal associated with the connector contact is ordinarily in the path between the contact end to which a wire is terminated and the contact interface, its resistance (bulk resistance) must be added to contact resistance when considering the connector as a circuit element. This overall resistance is sometimes erroneously called contact resistance. 

Resistance Heating of Contacts. The contact material, contact area, and heat dissipating abihty, as well as the heat dissipating abihty of the stmcture to which the material is attached, limit the amount of current that a contact can transport. Excessive current heats and softens the metal contact. This softening results in an increase in the surface area of the contact and a corresponding reduction in contact resistance. 

Porosity ranks next to thickness in importance, especially when the finishes must serve in polluted and/or humid environments which promote tarnish and corrosion. Pores, openings in the surface that extend to the underplate or substrate, can be intrinsic in the coating (14), or can be produced by mechanical wear or by forming operations involved in manufacturing. In some environments the substrate can tarnish or corrode at pore sites and can produce localized areas of insulating films which cause contact resistance to increase. Porosity is less important for connectors that operate indoors at moderate to low relative humidities and in the absence of corrosive pollutants (15). 

However, conductive elastomers have only ca <10 of the conductivity of soHd metals. Also, the contact resistance of elastomers changes with time when they are compressed. Therefore, elastomers are not used where significant currents must be carried or when low or stable resistance is required. Typical apphcations, which require a high density of contacts and easy disassembly for servicing, include connection between Hquid crystal display panels (see Liquid crystals) and between printed circuit boards in watches. Another type of elastomeric contact has a nonconducting silicone mbber core around which is wrapped metalized contacts that are separated from each other by insulating areas (25). A newer material has closely spaced strings of small spherical metal particles in contact, or fine soHd wires, which are oriented in the elastomer so that electrical conduction occurs only in the Z direction (26). 

Considerable effort has been directed to determining the causes of connection failutes and to learning how to minimize the likelihood of occurrence. Acceptable failute rates range from <1 in 10 operating hours for contacts in air-frame (31) electrical systems and in some telecommunications equipment, to 100—1000 in 10 operating hours in instmments, to even larger rates for contacts in many consumer products. A failute is defined as exceedance of contact resistance, which can be as Httle as twice the initial contact resistance, that causes circuit malfunction. The required lifetimes of connectors may be >20 yr, although most required appHcation times ate shorter (see Materials reliability). 

It is not practical to determine the contact resistance in power connectors. The resistance of the connection of a specified length of conductor on each side of the connector is measured and is called the overall resistance or the connection resistance. One industry specification (32) defines the included lengths and requites the stabiUty of the connection resistance to be within 5% of its average value throughout the heat-cycle test. 

Fretting corrosion (36,37) can lead to high contact resistance of base metal contacts, such as tin plate in electronic connectors. Small cycHcal displacements of the connector halves occur because of external vibration or differential thermal expansion and contraction of the mating contacts. The wear debris that is formed remains in the contact zone. The accumulation of oxide debris in the contact region leads to increased contact resistance. Solutions to this problem are stmctures that do not permit movement of contact surfaces with respect to one another, the use of gold as a contact finish, and the appHcation of thick coatings of contact lubricants and greases, which reduce the rate of wear and restrict access of air to the contact surfaces. 

Rhodium. Rhodium is the most commonly plated platinum-group metal. In addition to its decorative uses, rhodium has useful properties for engineering appHcations. It has good corrosion resistance, stable electtical contact resistance, wear resistance, heat resistance, and good reflectivity. The use of rhodium for engineering purposes is covered by an ASTM specification (128). Typical formulas are shown in Table 15. The metal content is obtained from prepared solutions available from proptietary plating supply companies. Replenishment is requited because anodes are not soluble. Rhodium for decorative use may be 0.05—0.13 p.m thick for industtial use, it maybe 0.50—5.0 p.m thick. 

Calculating the resistance of each current-carrying component separately is a very cumbersome and lengthy procedure, in addition to being not very accurate due to the large number of approximations. Some of the joints and components may still have been omitted from these calculations. The easier and more often recommended procedure is to measure the resistance between the extreme ends of each feeder in its ON condition by an Ohm-meter. This resistance will also include the contact resistance of each terminal and joint. 

Ground or crushed rock coverings, about 80-150 mm thick, are useful to slow the evaporation of soil moisture and hence retain the moisture of the topsoil layers. It will also diminish the intensity of shock currents due to higher contact resistance between the feet and the soil. Typical values may vary from 1000 to 5000 Qm. 

The contact resistance can be minimized by increasing the pull of the fasteners. Increasing the area of overlap may not reduce the contact resistance, unless the number of fasteners is also increased. It is mandatory to maintain a certain minimum contact pres.stire per unit area of the joint overlap. An average contact pressure at around 40-55 kg/cm is considered adequate. For the purpose of easy application, it is expressed in terms of bolt torque, depending upon the area of overlap and the number of fasteners, as specified in Table 29.1. 

The cathodic protection of reinforcing steel and stray current protection measures assume an extended electrical continuity through the reinforcing steel. This is mostly the case with rod-reinforced concrete structures however it should be verified by resistance measurements of the reinforcing network. To accomplish this, measuring cables should be connected to the reinforcing steel after removal of the concrete at different points widely separated from each other. To avoid contact resistances, the steel must be completely cleaned of rust at the contact points. 

Here I /G. is the heat exchanger contact resistance. The reason for rhe contact resistance is that there exists a resistance to heat flow between the outer surface of the pipe and the collar of the plate tins. Normally, the fins are attached to the pipes by mechanical expansion of the tubes out into rhe plate-fin collars. Because of this manufacturing method, the contact will not be ideal. Small gaps between the pipe surface and rhe collar of the tins will occur. 

It is very difficult to estimate the magnitude of the contact conductance G. Normally the total conductance of the heat exchanger is determined, and G - is calculated from Eq. (9.48). Only in the case that rhe plate fins are welded to the pipes with a metallurgical contact is the contact conductance infinite, leading to zero contact resistance, that is 1 /G,. = 0. 

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