An experimental analysis of the real contact area between an electrical contact and a glass plane

Quan, Chenggen, Down, Michael, Jiang, Liudi, McBride, John W., Qian, Kemao and Asundi, Anand (2013) An experimental analysis of the real contact area between an electrical contact and a glass plane. International Conference on Optics in Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology (icOPEN2013), Singapore, Singapore. 09 Apr 2013. p. 876914 . (doi:10.1117/12.2021355).

Abstract

The exact contact between two rough surfaces is usually estimated using statistical mathematics and surface analysis before and after contact has occurred. To date the majority of real contact and loaded surfaces has been theoretical or by numerical analyses. A method of analysing real contact area under various loads, by utilizing a con-contact laser surface profiler, allows direct measurement of contact area and deformation in terms of contact force and plane displacement between two surfaces. A laser performs a scan through a transparent flat side supported in a fixed position above the base. A test contact, mounted atop a spring and force sensor, and a screw support which moves into contact with the transparent surface. This paper presents the analysis of real contact area of various surfaces under various loads. The surfaces analysed are a pair of Au coated hemispherical contacts, one is a used Au to Au coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes surface, from a MEMS relay application, the other a new contact surface of the same configuration.

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Contributors

Author: Liudi Jiang

Author: John W. McBride

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