Test facility for simultaneous measurement of electrical and thermal contact resistance

A test setup has been developed for simultaneously evaluating the electrical contact resistance (ECR) and thermal contact resistance/conductance (TCR/TCC) across meta-metal contacts at different contact pressures and mean interface temperatures. ECR and TCC across brass-brass contacts in vacuum have been measured simultaneously at different contact pressures and mean interface temperatures. The results obtained are found to be in agreement with the theoretical models available in the literature for ECR and TCC, independently from each other. The maximum absolute uncertainties in the measurement of ECR and TCC with the present setup are estimated to be +/-0.003% and +/-4.4%, respectively. Apart from contact resistance measurements, the setup is also used to determine thermal conductivity of unknown materials viz., oxygen-free high-conductivity copper and brass, at different temperatures. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.