PNNL

Abstract

A combination 2/4-probe method was used to measure electrical resistances across a pure, monolithic CVD-SiC disc sample with contact resistance at the SiC/metallic electrode interfaces. By comparison of the almost simultaneous 2/4-probe measurements, the specific contact resistance and its temperature dependence were determined for two types (sputtered gold and porous nickel) electrodes from RT to ~700°C. The specific contact resistance values (Rc) behaved similarly for each type of metallic electrode: Rc >~1000 O-cm2 at RT, decreasing continuously to ~1-10 O-cm2 at 700°C. The temperature dependence of the inverse Rc indicated thermally activated electrical conduction across the SiC/metallic interface with an apparent activation energy of ~0.3 eV. For the flow channel insert application in a fusion reactor blanket, contact resistance potentially could reduce the transverse electrical conductivity by ~1/2.