Area-Controlled Soft Contact Probe: Non-Destructive Robust Electrical Contact with 2D and Fragile Materials

Materials (Basel). 2024 Mar 4;17(5):1194. doi: 10.3390/ma17051194.

Abstract

We developed a soft contact probe capable of making electrical contact with a specimen without causing damage. This probe is now commercially available. However, the contact area with the probe changes according to the pressure applied during electric contact, potentially affecting electric measurements when current density or electric field strength is critical. To address this, we developed methods to control the area of electric contact. This article reports on these methods, as well as variations in probe size, pressure for electric contact, probe materials, and attachment to commercial probers.

Keywords: 2D (two-dimensional) materials; contact area control; electrical contact; fragile materials; soft probe.

Grants and funding

This research was partly funded by Grants-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education and Science of Japan (No. 16K06283).