Van der Pauw's Theorem on Sheet Resistance. Issue 8 (21st October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bolt, Michael
• Is Part Of: PRIMUS. Volume 27:Issue 8/9(2017)
• Page Start: 792
• Page End: 800
• Publication Date: 2017-10-21
• Subjects: Electrostatic potential -- conformal mapping -- sheet resistance; Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Periodicals; 510.711
• DOI: 10.1080/10511970.2016.1204576
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1051-1970

Abstract

Abstract: The sheet resistance of a conducting material of uniform thickness is analogous to the resistivity of a solid material and provides a measure of electrical resistance. In 1958, L. J. van der Pauw found an effective method for computing sheet resistance that requires taking two electrical measurements from four points on the edge of a simply connected sample of material. In this article we give a statement and proof of the van der Pauw theorem using ideas from complex variables. We also include details of a demonstration of the method for finding the sheet resistance of a stainless steel shim using typical equipment in a physics laboratory.