The Influence of Opening Velocity Profile on the Duration of Molten Metal Bridge for Gold Coated Contacts in a Low Power (<100 mW) MEMS Contact Testing Platform

A novel test system, referred as the in-situ contact evolution (ICE) apparatus, is used to study low force (<1 mN) Au coated electrical contact surfaces, with the application of both cold and hot switching (<100 m W). The lower surface used is a compliant Au coated carbon nanotube composite, and the upper surface is a rigid Au coated hemisphere. The contact separation velocity is varied to model the opening process of an electrostatically actuated cantilever. The results show the duration and energy of the molten bridge phenomenon is reduced as contact opening velocity exceeds around 1.6 mm per second, reducing contact material transfer and increasing contact lifetime.