Evaluation of Contact Resistance Characteristics for Tin Plated Connector Contacts in Accelerated Degradation Test.

To find applicability of tin/tin contacts to connectors used in communication systems requiring high reliability electrical connection, damp heat cycle tests have been carried out and the accelerated degradation characteristics of the tin/tin contact have been compared with those of the gold/gold and gold/tin contacts. The results are as follows. (1) The contact resistance of the tin/tin contact is close to that of the gold/gold contact and it was found to be a tellable contact in high reliability connectors for the first 20 insertions. (2) In the tin/tin contact, the worn-off area is smaller and the apparent contact area is larger than in the gold/tin contact. These factors contribute to the stability of the contact resistance and are basis for contact resistance in the tin/tin contact is more stable than in the gold/tin contact. From these results it is found that the tin/tin contact can be used in high reliability connectors within the range of a few insertions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]