Collaborative Research: Atomic Plane Electrical Contacts

本研究的目的是了解纳米尺度（一米的十亿分之一）结构如何影响电接触电阻和使用寿命。众所周知，粗糙的表面磨损得很快，但为了使开关和继电器的电接触更好，表面应该光滑到什么程度呢？该方法是测试应用薄膜涂层的纳米级粗糙度表面，包括直接在接触测试上生长的碳纳米管，以及用于评估涂层表面样品的特殊设备，以选择用于高周期测试的候选材料。合同将定期进行评估，以了解其长期的地表行为。数学模型将用于预测性能，并用于帮助设计更持久的低电阻微型电气开关。这项研究的社会影响包括教育和工业效益。现代社会离不开电子产品，而电子设备也离不开可靠的高质量开关。随着电子设备的缩小，开关也必须缩小。在教育方面，最近一位麻省理工学院的博士研究生，他一直在教市中心的高中生，以及俄勒冈州立大学和麻省理工学院的学生将共同开发新的以纳米科学为中心的教材，用于核心数学和科学课程。在工业上，这项研究将使制造更低电阻、更长的电触点成为可能。工业合作伙伴将能够制造更小的电子探针来测试硅微芯片。

The objective of this research is to develop an understanding of how nanometer scale (one billionth of a meter) structures affect electrical contact resistance and useful life. It is known that rough surfaces wear quickly, but how smooth should surfaces be to make better electrical contacts for switches and relays? The approach is to test surfaces with nanometer-scale roughness to which are applied thin-film coatings, including carbon nanotubes grown directly on the contact testing along with a special apparatus for evaluating coated surfaces samples to choose candidate materials for high-cycle testing. The contracts will be evaluated at regular intervals to develop an understanding of their long-term surface behavior. Mathematical models will be made to predict performance and used to help design longer lasting lower resistance miniature electrical switches.The societal impact of this research includes educational and industrial benefits. Modern society cannot function without electronics, and electronic devices cannot function without reliable high quality switches. As electronics shrink, so must the switches. Educationally, a recent MIT Ph.D. graduate, who has been teaching inner-city high school students, and students, from OSU and MIT will work together to develop new nanoscience-centered teaching materials for use in core math an science classes. Industrially, this research will enable the creation of lower resistance longer life electrical contacts. The industrial partner will be able to make smaller electrical probes for testing silicon microchips.