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Title: Rough surface electrical contact resistance considering scale dependent properties and quantum effects

Abstract

The objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of scale dependent mechanical and electrical properties on electrical contact resistance (ECR) between rough surfaces. This work attempts to build on existing ECR models that neglect potentially important quantum- and size-dependent contact and electrical conduction mechanisms present due to the asperity sizes on typical surfaces. The electrical conductance at small scales can quantize or show a stepping trend as the contact area is varied in the range of the free electron Fermi wavelength squared. This work then evaluates if these effects remain important for the interface between rough surfaces, which may include many small scale contacts of varying sizes. The results suggest that these effects may be significant in some cases, while insignificant for others. It depends on the load and the multiscale structure of the surface roughness.

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22410226
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 117; Journal Issue: 19; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; ELECTRIC CONTACTS; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; ELECTRONS; INTERFACES; POTENTIALS; QUANTUM MECHANICS; ROUGHNESS; SURFACES; WAVELENGTHS

Citation Formats

Jackson, Robert L., E-mail: jackson@auburn.edu, Crandall, Erika R., and Bozack, Michael J. Rough surface electrical contact resistance considering scale dependent properties and quantum effects. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4921110.
Jackson, Robert L., E-mail: jackson@auburn.edu, Crandall, Erika R., & Bozack, Michael J. Rough surface electrical contact resistance considering scale dependent properties and quantum effects. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921110
Jackson, Robert L., E-mail: jackson@auburn.edu, Crandall, Erika R., and Bozack, Michael J. 2015. "Rough surface electrical contact resistance considering scale dependent properties and quantum effects". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921110.
@article{osti_22410226,
title = {Rough surface electrical contact resistance considering scale dependent properties and quantum effects},
author = {Jackson, Robert L., E-mail: jackson@auburn.edu and Crandall, Erika R. and Bozack, Michael J.},
abstractNote = {The objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of scale dependent mechanical and electrical properties on electrical contact resistance (ECR) between rough surfaces. This work attempts to build on existing ECR models that neglect potentially important quantum- and size-dependent contact and electrical conduction mechanisms present due to the asperity sizes on typical surfaces. The electrical conductance at small scales can quantize or show a stepping trend as the contact area is varied in the range of the free electron Fermi wavelength squared. This work then evaluates if these effects remain important for the interface between rough surfaces, which may include many small scale contacts of varying sizes. The results suggest that these effects may be significant in some cases, while insignificant for others. It depends on the load and the multiscale structure of the surface roughness.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4921110},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22410226}, journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 19,
volume = 117,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu May 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Thu May 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}