How to Calculate the Resistance Per Square for a Metal Layer
Electricity is the flow of electrons through a wire. As electrons flow, they scatter off one another, as well as off wire boundaries. This phenomena is known as resistance and can be determined using macroscopic parameters. Resistance can be calculated from the wire length, cross sectional area and a material dependent value known as the resistivity. A related value to resistance is the sheet resistance (resistance per square), which is the resistance of a unit area.
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Instructions
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Look up the resistivity of the metal in question on a reference website such as Web Elements. The resistivity is a measure of how much scattering occurs in a metal. The value varies, depending upon the metallic element. The value of resistivity is measured in units of Ohm-meters.
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Determine the thickness of the metal in meters. The thickness can be determined from the specification sheet, which is supplied with the metal. Alternatively, the thickness can be measured manually using digital calipers. To do this, open the caliper jaw up, and place the metal between the jaws. Close the jaw so that it makes contact with both sides of the metal. The digital display will show the thickness of the metal.
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Calculate the resistance per square. This is equal to the resistivity divided by the metal thickness. In symbolic form this is:
Rsq= Rho / t
where rho is the resistivity and t is the thickness.
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References
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