Current crowding and misalignment effects as sources of error in contact resistivity measurements. Part I: Computer simulation of conventional CER and CKR structures

In this paper we have investigated current crowding and misalignment effects as sources of error in the extraction of the contact resistivity from contact resistance data. Computer simulations have been carried out to analyze both conventional CER and CKR structures. The extent of the errors related to such parasitic effects is discussed, with particular emphasis on the effect of current crowding in misaligned contacts, in the case where the contact geometry is not correctly taken into account.