Title: Effect of geometric characteristics of a cluster of micro-contacts on its mechanical and electrical properties

Authors: John Ervin, Igor Sevostianov

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, 88003, New Mexico, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, 88003, New Mexico, USA

Abstract: This paper focuses on statistical analysis of the effect of geometrical parameters on the overall resistance of a cluster of microcontacts. We analyse variation in mutual positions and radii of individual contacts from the mean values. It is shown that the effect of perturbations in the mutual positions is very small and the mean distance between the contact centres can be used to estimate the overall resistance. Effect of perturbations in the contact radii is small when the mean radius is small. Using elasticity-conductivity cross-property connections, this result is transferred to the incremental elastic stiffness of the cluster.

Keywords: contact clusters; stiffness; resistivity; cross-property connection; microcontacts; statistical analysis; resistance; elasticity; conductivity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTAMM.2010.038278

International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Multiscale Mechanics, 2010 Vol.1 No.4, pp.308 - 318

Published online: 26 Jan 2011 *

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