Field emission and material transfer in microswitches electrical contacts

Abstract

Material transfer from one electrical contact part to the other has already been reported in microswitches operating under hot switching conditions. By using an atomic force microscope with a conductive cantilever, we highlighted that electrons are emitted from the cathode when electrode separation becomes less than a few tens of nanometers. This electronic emission proves to follow Fowler–Nordheim theory and leads to the damage of the opposite contact member (anode) by impact heating. Anode material evaporates under this extreme heating and deposits on the opposite contact member (cathode), leading to a material transfer from anode to cathode.