An Investigation Into the Van Der Pauw and 4-Probe Methods to Measure Resistivity

This work compares the accuracy and applicability of the four-probe voltage measurements versus the Van der Pauw (VDP) methods for measuring the resistivity of thin-film metallic devices. Gold films with varying geometries were fabricated through photolithography and electron beam evaporation. Both resistance measurement techniques were applied to each design, and resistivity was calculated and compared across a range of lead widths and wire dimensions. This work provides a framework for selecting appropriate resistivity measurement techniques in microfabricated devices and establishes working limits for applying the VDP method.