Publications
Electrical contact resistance degradation of a hot-switched simulated metal MEMS contact
Electrical contact resistance testing was performed by hot-switching a simulated gold-platinum metal microelectromechanical systems contact. The experimental objective was to determine the sensitivity of the contact resistance degradation to current level and environment. The contact resistance increased sharply after 100 hot-switched cycles in air. Hot-switching at a reduced current and in nitrogen atmosphere curtailed contact resistance degradation by several orders of magnitude. The mechanism responsible for the resistance degradation was found to be arc-induced decomposition of adsorbed surface contaminants.