Similar articles

Abstract: Particle pollution in air, also sometimes known as fine dust contamination, may cause electric contact failure. Recent research further proved that the fine particle is becoming a major disruption of the electronic connectors in signal transmission system. This paper specifies the connector contact in mobile phone application. To study the contact failure of mobile phone, a series of inspections and analytical research methods are introduced. Special features that cause the contact failure are summarized. Particle accumulation is the main problem; organic material such as lactates from sweat of the human body may act as adhesives to stick the separate particles together and make them adhere on the contact surface; chemical properties of dust cause serious local corrosion. The corrosion products may trap the particles and firmly attach on the contact surface; micro motion frequently occurs at the contact interface. Hard particle can be embedded into the surface, and soft particle could be squeezed and inserted into the contact; silicon compounds in dust play the most important role in forming high resistance regions that lead to failure; deposition of particles depends on the amount of materials, static electricity attracting force and gravity force applied on the particles. Current dust test can hardly reflect the serious contact failure. It is difficult to simulate the complexity of contact failure caused by particle contamination. Thus alternative ways of simulation experiment and improvement of contact reliability are proposed.

[1] Chen, Z.K, Witter, G.J., 2004. Contact Resistance Failure in Relay Assembly Process. 1st International Conference on Reliability of Electrical Products and Electrical Contacts, Suzhou, China, p.68-71.

[2] Feng, C.F., Zhang, J.G., Luo, G.P., Halkola, V., 2005. Inspection of the Contaminants at Failed Connector Contacts. 51th IEEE Holm Conf. on Electric Contacts, Chicago, IL, USA.

[3] Gao, J.C., Zhang, J.G., 2002. Measurement of Electric Charges Carried by Dust Particles. 48th IEEE Holm Conf. on Electric Contacts, Orlando, FL, USA.

[4] Goldstein, J.I., Yakowitz, H., 1975. Practical Scanning Electron Microscopy. Plenum Press, p.83.

[5] He, Z.P., Xu, L.J., 2005. Micro Motion at the Failed Contact Interfaces. 51th IEEE Holm Conf. on Electric Contacts, Chicago, IL, USA.

[6] Liang, Y.N., Zhang, J.G., Liu, J.J., 1997. Identification of Inorganic Compounds in Dust Collected in Beijing and Their Effects on Electric Contacts. 43rd IEEE Holm Conf. on Electric Contacts, Philadelphia, PA, USA, p.20-22, 315-327.

[7] Lin, X.Y., Zhang, J.G., 2004. Dust Corrosion. 50th IEEE Holm Conf./ICEC, Seattle, USA, p.20-24.

[8] Mano, K., 1981. Contact Failure by Dust Contamination. In: Reliability of Contact Components (3rd Ed.). General Electronics Publisher, Japan, p.92 (in Japanese).

[9] Reagor, B.T., Russel, C.A., 1985. A Survey of Problems in Telecommunication Equipment Resulting from Chemical Contamination. Proc. 31th IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, p.157.

[10] Robbins, R.C., 1973. Economic Effects on Air Pollution on Electrical Contacts. Proc. Holm Seminar on Electric Contact, Phenomena, p.80-85.

[11] Wan, J.W., Gao, J.C., Lin, X.Y., Zhang, J.G., 1999. Water Soluble Salts in Dust and Their Effects on Electric Contact Surfaces. ICECT, Nagoya, Japan, p.19-24.

[12] Williamson, J.B.P., Greenwood, J.A., Harris, J., 1956. The influence of dust particles on contact of solids. Proc. Royal Society of London, 237:560.

[13] Xu, L.J., 2003. Dynamic influence on contact failure. IEICE Trans. on Electronics, E86-C(6):963.

[14] Zhang, J.G., Liang, Y.N., Wan, J.W., Sun, B.S., 1998. Analysis of Organic Compounds in Airborne Dust Collected in Beijing. 44th IEEE Holm Conference on Electric Contacts, Arlington, VA, USA. p.26-28.

[15] Zhang, J.G., Lin, X.Y., Zhou, Y.L., Williamson, J.B.P., 2000. Tidal Corrosion and Concentric Rings on Gold Plated Contacts. 20th International Conf. on Electrical Contacts, Stockholm, Sweden, p.303-308.

[16] Zhang, J.G., Gao, J.C., Cui, F.F., 2005. The “Selective” Deposition of Particles on Electric Contact and Their Effects on Contact Failure. 51th IEEE Holm Conf. on Electric Contacts, Chicago, IL, USA.

[17] Zhang, J.G., Gao, J.C., Cui, F.F., 2006. Adhesion and Attaching of Particles at the Failed Connector Contacts. 23nd ICEC’2006, Sendai, Japan.