New Experimental Approach for Measuring Electrical Contact Resistance with an Accurate Mechanical Actuation, Evaluation
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1052-DD06-30
New Experimental Approach for Measuring Electrical Contact Resistance with an Accurate Mechanical Actuation, Evaluation of the Performances of Gold Micro-switches Cedric Seguineau1,2, Adrien Broue1, Fabienne Pennec3, Jérémie Dhennin1, Jean-Michel Desmarres4, Arnaud Pothier5, Xavier Lafontan1, and Michel Ignat2 1 NOVA MEMS, 10 Avenue de l'Europe, Ramonville, 31520, France 2 SIMaP, INPG, UMR 5266, Université Joseph Fourier, St Martin d'Heres, 38402, France 3 LAAS - CNRS, 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, Toulouse, 31401, France 4 DCT/AQ/LE, CNES, 18 Avenue Edouard Belin, Toulouse, 31401, France 5 Minacom dpt, XLIM LAboratoy, 123 Avenue Albert Thomas, Limoges, 87060, France ABSTRACT A specific experimental setup combining nanoindentation and electrical inputs has been developed in order to determine the reliability and the performances of Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) like micro-switches. The evolution of the electrical resistance with respect to a mechanical solicitation applied on the contact, is henceforth available. The description of the setup goes with a brief overview of the tests performed on a gold ohmic switch. A discussion is developed considering the mechanisms involved in the contact response. A confrontation among the experimental results, the analytical modeling and also finite-element analysis is presented. INTRODUCTION Micro-switches always elicit a great interest among micro- and nano- technologies. Yet, despite the considerable efforts put on this field, their Technology Readiness Level [1] is still globally lower than other MEMS devices like accelerometers. The best compromise between reliability and electrical performances strongly depends on the mechanical properties of the materials and surfaces forming the electrical contact. The establishment of a database based on the same models as those made in classical microelectronics is still problematic to implement. Currently, reliability testing can then only be addressed with extensive and precise experimental characterizations. In this context, rightly customized nanoindentation experiments can provide convenient results, by combining the use of a diamond tip as a mechanical micro-actuator and electrical connections for a 4-wire resistance measurement. Such a technique presents several advantages in comparison with traditional electrostatic or magnetic actuations. First, the actuation load is more reproducible, and better controlled. Secondly, the mechanical and electrical effects can also be handled separately in order to better understand the physics involved in the contact evolution. The mechanical behavior of the material at the contact surfaces must be accurately determined, and properly related to the electrical current transmitted. The analysis described here is accordingly based on three complementary approaches. The experimental characterization provides electrical and mechanical measurements, while an analytical modeling of the experiments would allow to determine which physics governs the behavior of the contact. Finally a
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