On the Electric Contact Resistance

Abstract

When an electric current flow across an interface between two contacting solids a change in the electric potential occur over the interface. One part of the electric contact resistance is due to the constrictions at asperity contact regions. Barber has shown that the constriction resistance can be related to the interfacial contact stiffness. I discuss the relation between the classical (approximate) Holm theory for the constriction resistance and the (exact) theory involving the contact stiffness. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]