Simultaneous measurement of electrical contact resistance (ECR) and coefficient of friction (COF) at the sliding interface is essential to assess the performance of selected material contact pairs for the transfer of current from stationary member to moving member (or vice-versa). Low and stable values of ECR and COF are desirable during the intended operating life of the contact members. These parameters may change with respect to time as a consequence of change in the surface properties of contact members due to their relative movement. Hence experimental investigations have been conducted to study the variation of ECR and COF while different riders sliding on copper and brass flat samples in different environments. As a part of the experimental investigation, a reciprocating sliding setup is designed and developed to study the variation of ECR and COF in terms of normal force, sliding speed, current and environment. The details of the experimental setup are described along with its construction and operation. The sample preparation, instrumentation, data acquisition and presentation are explained in detail. The variations of ECR and COF at different normal forces, currents and sliding speeds by moving OFHC copper, brass, silver, Ag10Cu and Ag20Cu riders on OFHC copper and brass flat samples in vacuum, argon, nitrogen and air are studied in detail. Studies are also conducted to evaluate the performance of metallic contacts under lubricated condition using general purpose lubricating oils of different viscosity. Metallic contacts show a decrease in ECR with increase in normal force at all sliding speeds in all media. Sliding metallic contacts show a significant decrease in both ECR and COF during the initial sliding cycles at constant normal force in all media. Surface roughness of flat sample is found to have a significant effect on both ECR and COF in all media. Wear of rider is found to be significant as compared to wear of flat samples. Metallic contacts show an inverse relationship between ECR and COF in all media under mild wear regime (0.2< COF≤ 0.4). ECR and COF of sliding metallic contacts are independent of current (≤ 4A) in mild wear regime in all media. Reasonably low values of ECR and COF are observed for prolonged duration with lubricants having low viscosity. The presence of wear fragments at the sliding zone is found to have significant effect on both ECR and COF in all media. Low values of ECR are observed while copper rider sliding on brass sample as compared to silver rider under same operating conditions. Significant amount of metal transfer is observed with silver based riders sliding on copper and brass flat samples in different media. The present investigations are useful in understanding the contact behaviour of copper and brass flat samples for similar and dissimilar riders sliding on them in various environments.

This thesis is a sandwich thesis composed of three papers that are published in refereed journals or conferences. The first paper is a systematic experimental study conducted to identify the first phase to form during cobalt germanidation. Hexagonal β-Co5Ge3 was the first phase to form at temperatures as low as 227°C followed by monoclinic CoGe as the second phase at the same temperature. We also report for the first time that both phases that formed were highly ordered partial epitaxial crystal orientations suggesting that both of those low-temperature phases could potentially serve as high quality contacts for germanium based devices with a very low thermal budget which is advantageous for the process design. Those results contributed to a better understanding of cobalt germanidation leading to the first multiphase technology computer aided design model presented in the second paper. This kinetic model for cobalt germanide growth can predict the resulting phase based on anneal time, temperature, and ambient. The model has been calibrated to experimental results. This predictive model can help in the design of cobalt germanide contacts with low resistance and can serve as a general modeling framework for multiphase solid state reaction binary systems. A comprehensive survey of the experimental results for formation of cobalt germanides is discussed and the data are reconciled in the third paper. Factors affecting the resulting phases and their quality are identified and some optimum choices for the experimental parameters are pointed based on the survey. The role of germanium crystal orientation in ohmic and Schottky properties of the contact is analyzed. Fermi level pinning plays a role mainly on metal/(100) n-type Ge interfaces and its role is minimal on p-type Ge and other crystalline orientations. Schottky Barrier Heights for cobalt germanide contacts reported in the literature are surveyed. Crystalline cobalt germanides, forming when Co is deposited at high temperatures, are expected to have lower interface resistivities compared to those reported. The work is important because contact resistance has become one of the most important factors in advanced complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology and advanced devices already include germanium (Ge) in the source/drain regions of devices. It is also important because heating at the interface due to contact resistance is one of the key challenges in power devices and cobalt germanide can be used both for Si and Ge based devices as well as for gallium nitride (GaN) devices. The latter application is possible because cobalt germanide is lattice-matched to GaN. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The main goal of this thesis is to create predictive empirical, mathematical, and physical models to help the designer of the semiconductor process technology to design high quality electric contacts, namely cobalt germanides, to their semiconductor devices, germanium based. The choice of cobalt germanides is motivated by their expected superior quality given the possibility of growing them in crystalline form. We settled a theoretical and experimental controversy regarding the first phase to form by conducting experiments demonstrating that low-temperature forming cobalt germanide phases are highly ordered and could serve as high quality contacts. A predictive physical based mathematical model was developed to assist the designer in obtaining the desired cobalt germanide phase for its needed electrical properties by design. Factors affecting the quality of the germanide were identified based on an extensive survey and the optimum choices for the parameters to obtain high quality contact were pointed.

<p>Idag används guld som kontaktmaterial på elektriska kontakter för lågströmstillämpningar. Guldhar emellertid låg nötningsbeständighet, är dyrt och miljömässigt påfrestande att utvinna. Ettalternativt kontaktmaterial till guld är nanokomposit Ti-Si-C-Ag belagt medlikströmsmagnetronsputtring. Nanokomposit Ti-Si-C-Ag har hittills belagts med sammansatt Ti-Si-C sputterkälla och separat silverkälla.</p><p>I detta arbete har filmer belagts från tre olika sammansatta Ti-Si-C-Ag-källor med tre olikakolhalter. Filmerna har belagts i två olika beläggningssystem: Ett konventionellt batchladdat ochett sekventiellt med sluss.</p><p>Filmernas fas- och ämnessammansättning har studerats med XRD och EDX. Tjocklek ochmikrostruktur har analyserats med SEM. Vidhäftning och resistivitet har analyserats medRockwellindentation och ytresistansmätning med fyrpunktsprob. Kontaktresistansen har ävenstuderats i begränsad mån.</p><p>Arbetet visar att ökat kolinnehåll i källan ger kolrikare filmer med större titankarbidkorn.Resistiviteten ökar p.g.a. tilltagen amorf fas mellan kornen men kontaktresistansen sjunker givetduktilare film.</p> / <p>Today gold is used as contact material on electric contacts for low current applications. Gold, however,has low wear resistance, is expensive and environmentally stressful to produce. An alternative contactmaterial to gold is nano composite Ti-Si-C-Ag deposited with DC-magnetron sputtering. Nanocomposite Ti-Si-C-Ag has so far been deposited by a compound Ti-Si-C sputter source with a separateAg source.</p><p>In this work films have been deposited by three different compound Ti-Si-C-Ag sources with threedifferent carbon contents. The films have been deposited in two separate PVD systems: Oneconventional batch loaded and one sequential with a load-lock.</p><p>The phase- and elemental composition of the films has been studied with XRD and EDX respectively.Thickness and microstructure have been analysed with SEM. Adhesion and resistivity has beenanalysed with Rockwell indentation and surface resistivity measurement with four point probe. Contactresistance has also been studied to a limited extent.</p><p>The work shows that the increment of carbon content in the source yields more carbon rich films withlarger titanium carbide crystallites. The resistivity is increasing due to an increased amorphous phasebetween the crystallites but the contact resistance is decreasing due to a more ductile film.</p>

Idag används guld som kontaktmaterial på elektriska kontakter för lågströmstillämpningar. Guldhar emellertid låg nötningsbeständighet, är dyrt och miljömässigt påfrestande att utvinna. Ettalternativt kontaktmaterial till guld är nanokomposit Ti-Si-C-Ag belagt medlikströmsmagnetronsputtring. Nanokomposit Ti-Si-C-Ag har hittills belagts med sammansatt Ti-Si-C sputterkälla och separat silverkälla. I detta arbete har filmer belagts från tre olika sammansatta Ti-Si-C-Ag-källor med tre olikakolhalter. Filmerna har belagts i två olika beläggningssystem: Ett konventionellt batchladdat ochett sekventiellt med sluss. Filmernas fas- och ämnessammansättning har studerats med XRD och EDX. Tjocklek ochmikrostruktur har analyserats med SEM. Vidhäftning och resistivitet har analyserats medRockwellindentation och ytresistansmätning med fyrpunktsprob. Kontaktresistansen har ävenstuderats i begränsad mån. Arbetet visar att ökat kolinnehåll i källan ger kolrikare filmer med större titankarbidkorn.Resistiviteten ökar p.g.a. tilltagen amorf fas mellan kornen men kontaktresistansen sjunker givetduktilare film. / Today gold is used as contact material on electric contacts for low current applications. Gold, however,has low wear resistance, is expensive and environmentally stressful to produce. An alternative contactmaterial to gold is nano composite Ti-Si-C-Ag deposited with DC-magnetron sputtering. Nanocomposite Ti-Si-C-Ag has so far been deposited by a compound Ti-Si-C sputter source with a separateAg source. In this work films have been deposited by three different compound Ti-Si-C-Ag sources with threedifferent carbon contents. The films have been deposited in two separate PVD systems: Oneconventional batch loaded and one sequential with a load-lock. The phase- and elemental composition of the films has been studied with XRD and EDX respectively.Thickness and microstructure have been analysed with SEM. Adhesion and resistivity has beenanalysed with Rockwell indentation and surface resistivity measurement with four point probe. Contactresistance has also been studied to a limited extent. The work shows that the increment of carbon content in the source yields more carbon rich films withlarger titanium carbide crystallites. The resistivity is increasing due to an increased amorphous phasebetween the crystallites but the contact resistance is decreasing due to a more ductile film.

Stationary electrical connections and contacts, such as power connections, are commonly applied in electric power systems used for generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy. Several different degradation mechanisms can increase the contact resistance and might therefore reduce the power connection’s lifetime. The degradation by film development as a result of chemical reactions is often considered as a reason for contact failure. In this research work, the impact of film development produced by chemical reactions, such as oxidation, on the long-term behavior of stationary electrical connections and contacts was studied with crossed rods. Analytical, numerical and experimental methods were applied. Typical material systems for electric power systems were considered in this study: Cu-ETP (CW004A) bare, silver-, nickel- or tin-coated, Al99.5 (EN AW-1050A) and AlMgSi0.5 (EN AW-6060). By applying numerical methods, the mechanical stress distribution was determined within a circular contact point. The initial contact resistance and the plastic deformed area of the considered material systems was measured in experimental tests. The film’s impact was further determined through comparative experimental studies in air (standard atmosphere) and N2 (inert gas). During the experimental tests on perpendicularly crossed rods, other degradation mechanisms such as force reduction were suppressed. The film’s impact within the formation phase was studied on copper rods in an oven at 200 °C for 1000 h. Moreover, the dependency on different environments at 90 °C (laboratory, botanical garden and outdoor) was tested for 12000 h. Additional long-term tests over 12000 h were conducted at 200 °C. The contact resistance was determined dependent on time. Furthermore, the plastic deformed area was ascertained by microscopy. It was found that the time dependent film development caused by chemical reactions such as oxidation might possibly not result in a significant degradation of stationary electrical contacts with circular contact points and a constant force. Supplementary studies were performed at 200 °C for 1000 h with perpendicularly crossed rods at low forces (3.5 N) as well as analytical assessment of radial and axial film growth on circular contact points. The measured long-term behavior of perpendicularly crossed rods was similar for low and high forces. In order to study the long-term behavior of power connections operated in areas with harsh environmental conditions, experimental field tests on bolted busbar joints were conducted in desert and tropical rainforest environments. For over two and a half years, long-term field tests investigating bolted busbar joints made of Cu-ETP, Al99.5 (EN-AW-1350A) or AlMgSi0.5 (EN AW-6060) either with or without coating (silver, tin or nickel) were conducted in Belém (Brazil), Ismailia (Egypt) and Dresden (Germany).

Stationary electrical connections and contacts, such as power connections, are commonly applied in electric power systems used for generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy. Several different degradation mechanisms can increase the contact resistance and might therefore reduce the power connection’s lifetime. The degradation by film development as a result of chemical reactions is often considered as a reason for contact failure. In this research work, the impact of film development produced by chemical reactions, such as oxidation, on the long-term behavior of stationary electrical connections and contacts was studied with crossed rods. Analytical, numerical and experimental methods were applied. Typical material systems for electric power systems were considered in this study: Cu-ETP (CW004A) bare, silver-, nickel- or tin-coated, Al99.5 (EN AW-1050A) and AlMgSi0.5 (EN AW-6060). By applying numerical methods, the mechanical stress distribution was determined within a circular contact point. The initial contact resistance and the plastic deformed area of the considered material systems was measured in experimental tests. The film’s impact was further determined through comparative experimental studies in air (standard atmosphere) and N2 (inert gas). During the experimental tests on perpendicularly crossed rods, other degradation mechanisms such as force reduction were suppressed. The film’s impact within the formation phase was studied on copper rods in an oven at 200 °C for 1000 h. Moreover, the dependency on different environments at 90 °C (laboratory, botanical garden and outdoor) was tested for 12000 h. Additional long-term tests over 12000 h were conducted at 200 °C. The contact resistance was determined dependent on time. Furthermore, the plastic deformed area was ascertained by microscopy. It was found that the time dependent film development caused by chemical reactions such as oxidation might possibly not result in a significant degradation of stationary electrical contacts with circular contact points and a constant force. Supplementary studies were performed at 200 °C for 1000 h with perpendicularly crossed rods at low forces (3.5 N) as well as analytical assessment of radial and axial film growth on circular contact points. The measured long-term behavior of perpendicularly crossed rods was similar for low and high forces. In order to study the long-term behavior of power connections operated in areas with harsh environmental conditions, experimental field tests on bolted busbar joints were conducted in desert and tropical rainforest environments. For over two and a half years, long-term field tests investigating bolted busbar joints made of Cu-ETP, Al99.5 (EN-AW-1350A) or AlMgSi0.5 (EN AW-6060) either with or without coating (silver, tin or nickel) were conducted in Belém (Brazil), Ismailia (Egypt) and Dresden (Germany).

Es wird ein Überblick über die Bedeutung des Übergangswiderstandes beim Pressschweißen, sowie dessen physikalische Ursachen gegeben. Ausgewählte etablierte und neuere Ansätze der mathematischen Beschreibung des Übergangswiderstandes und deren Charakteristika werden dargestellt und charakterisiert. Im Vergleich wird der empirische Ansatz des KMK-Modells des Übergangswiderstandes dargestellt und dessen Implementierung in das FEM- Programmsystem erläutert. Ein Anwendungsbeispiel belegt die Qualität der mit dem Modell durchführbaren Simulationen, und zeigt daraus resultierende vertiefte Bewertungsmöglichkeiten des Schweißvorganges auf.