Two Melting Phenomena in Breaking Ag Contacts Decided by Energizing Electric Circuit

We carefully measured the contact voltage (V_c) and contact current(I_c) of breaking Ag contacts at the melting voltage of Ag (U_m) using a precisely controlled piezoelectric actuator. Using the equivalent energizing circuit with a DC power source, a load resistance and a contact resistance, we discussed two different melting phenomena decided by energizing electric circuit. The threshold of the two mechanisms depends on electrical circuit conditions, which decide power consumption at the contacts just after V_c=U_m. The similarity of the contacts phenomena and the current fuse phenomena were confirmed by the experiments for melting with electric feedback and melting with thermal equilibrium.