A degradation model for separable electrical contacts based on the failure caused by surface oxide film. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhong, Liqiang; Fan, Xing; Han, Kunkun; Chen, Wenhua; Qian, Ping
• Is Part Of: Microelectronics and reliability. Volume 139(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Degradation model -- Failure mechanism -- Contact resistance -- Oxide film -- Wiener progress; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability -- Periodicals; Miniature electronic equipment -- Periodicals; Appareils électroniques -- Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Équipement électronique miniaturisé -- Périodiques; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability; Miniature electronic equipment; Periodicals; 621.3815
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2022.114832
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-2714

Abstract

Abstract: Since electrical connectors are weak links in the circuit system of industrial equipment, any contact failure can lead to system collapse. The existing contact degradation models only focus on the static contact, ignoring that the contact position of separable connectors can be changed, which makes the model unable to describe the instability of contact resistance. In this paper, the contact spot characteristics of separable electrical connectors are analyzed. Based on the statistical analysis of contact spots whose positions change randomly, a contact degradation model for separable electrical contacts is established. The model is a multi-parameter nonlinear Wiener process, which can describe the increase in contact resistance caused by the growth of oxide film, and can also reveal the instability of contact resistance caused by position changes. Then a step-by-step parameter estimation method is proposed to solve the problem that nonlinear model parameters are difficult to calculate. Finally, an accelerated degradation experiment is designed to test the model, and results show that the model is in good agreement with the experimental data, and the failure mechanism is also in line with expectations. Highlights: Random variation of spot positions lead to unstable contact resistance. Wiener progress is suitable to describe the random fluctuation of contact resistance. The oxide film thickness is proportional to the contact resistance fluctuation range. Statistical modeling of contact spots based on failure mechanism.