High-Frequency Response of Electrical Stationary Contacts

Experimental investigation of the high-frequency (HF) behavior of electrical stationary contacts is at first presented with respect to response against power-line communication signaling. All measurements are taken on actual electrical contacts found at low-voltage boards that have already been in use for years, so that any effects of aging affecting routine operation of the contacts are also taken into account. Adaptation of existing low-frequency models of equivalent circuits is in addition attempted to approach the HF response, after which the infinitesimal HF propagation length assumption, which normally accompanies channel response simulation efforts, is additionally evaluated via interpretation of the measured behavior into equivalent cable lengths. Last but not least, the existence of nonlinear HF conductivity phenomena is examined over the measured time-evolution curves, and the related observations are pointed out.