Contact Resistance Failure Criteria

摘要

This paper provides a discussion on the significance of contact resistance change as a failure criteria in both power and signal applications. As the failure criteria are based on the threshold behavior of contact stability and heating, the criteria vary according to each application. The basis for signal contacts, is stability in terms of discontinuities as related to changei n contact resistance. In the case of power, the change in voltage drop at rated current is used to establish criteria based on heating and thermal runaway. A detailed analysis and supporting data are provided to validate these recommendations. These criteria are summarized in a single chart where change in resistance criteria is plotted as a function of current. This chart provides a universal method of establishing failure criteria for the spectrum of applications that exist today.