Improved micro-contact resistance model that considers material deformation, electron transport and thin film characteristics

Abstract

This paper reports on an improved analytic model for
predicting micro-contact resistance needed for designing microelectro-
mechanical systems (MEMS) switches. The original
model had two primary considerations: 1) contact material
deformation (i.e. elastic, plastic, or elastic-plastic) and 2) effective
contact area radius. The model also assumed that individual aspots
were close together and that their interactions were
dependent on each other which led to using the single effective aspot
contact area model. This single effective area model was
used to determine specific electron transport regions (i.e. ballistic,
quasi-ballistic, or diffusive) by comparing the effective radius and
the mean free path of an electron. Using this model required that
micro-switch contact materials be deposited, during device
fabrication, with processes ensuring low surface roughness values
(i.e. sputtered films). Sputtered thin film electric contacts,
however, do not behave like bulk materials and the effects of thin
film contacts and spreading resistance must be considered. The
improved micro-contact resistance model accounts for the two
primary considerations above, as well as, using thin film,
sputtered, electric contacts

More information

Identifiers

ORCID for John W. McBride: orcid.org/0000-0002-3024-0326

Catalogue record

Export record

Altmetrics