RF Cafe - Conductor Bulk Resistivity & Skin Depths at High Frequencies Microwave RF

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Conductor Bulk Resistivity & Skin Depths

Available bulk resistivity values (r) used to calculate skin depths (ds) can vary considerably depending on the source. The ones used here are typical, gathered from many of the links listed at the bottom of the page. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the user to determine his own value based on a trusted source. Even NIST¹ and CRC² do not fully agree on bulk resistivity values for materials as well-known as copper and aluminum.

(click here for the equation for skin depth)
(click here for a skin depth calculator)

Material	Chemical Formula	Bulk Resistivity @20C (mW×cm = W×10^-8m)	Skin Depth (mm @f)
Material	Chemical Formula	Bulk Resistivity @20C (mW×cm = W×10^-8m)	1 MHz	10 MHz	100 MHz	1 GHz	10 GHz	100 GHz

Aluminum	Al	2.65	81.9	25.9	8.19	2.59	0.819	0.259
Beryllium	Be	3.3	91.4	28.9	9.14	2.89	0.914	0.289
Brass	Cu70/Zn30	7	133	42.1	13.3	4.21	1.33	0.421
Bronze	Cu89/Sn11	15	195	61.6	19.5	6.16	1.95	0.616
Carbon	C (graphite)	1375	1866	590	187	59.0	18.7	5.90
Cadmium	Cd	7.3	136	43.0	13.6	4.30	1.36	0.430
Chromium	Cr	13.2	183	57.8	18.3	5.78	1.83	0.578
Cobalt	Co	6.34	127	40.1	12.7	4.01	1.27	0.401
Constantan	Cu60Ni40	49	352	111	35.2	11.1	3.52	1.11
Copper	Cu	1.69	65.4	20.7	6.54	2.07	0.654	0.207
Dural	Al95/Cu 4/Mg 1	5	112.54	35.6	11.3	3.56	1.13	0.356
Gallium	Ga	15.5	198	62.7	19.8	6.27	1.98	0.627
Gold	Au	2.2	74.7	23.6	7.47	2.36	0.747	0.236
Graphite	C	783.7	1409	446	141	44.6	14.1	4.46
Inconel® alloy 600	Ni72/Cr16/Fe 8	103	511	162	51.1	16.2	5.11	1.62
Indium	In	8.8	149	47.2	14.9	4.72	1.49	0.472
Iridium	Ir	5.1	114	35.9	11.4	3.59	1.14	0.359
Iron	Fe	10.1	160	50.6	16.0	5.06	1.60	0.506
Lead	Pb	20.6	228	72.2	22.8	7.22	2.28	0.722
Lithium	Li	9.29	153	48.5	15.3	4.85	1.53	0.485
Magnesium	Mg	4.2	103	32.6	10.3	3.26	1.03	0.326
Mercury	Hg	95.9	493	156	49.3	15.6	4.93	1.56
Molybdenum	Mo	5.7	120	38.0	12.0	3.80	1.20	0.380
Monel alloy 400	Ni65/Cu33/Fe 2	49	352	111	35.2	11.1	3.52	1.11
Nickel	Ni	6.9	132	41.8	13.2	4.18	1.32	0.418
Nichrome	Ni80/Cr20	108	523	165	52.3	16.5	5.23	1.65
Palladium	Pd	10.8	165	52.3	16.5	5.23	1.65	0.523
Platinum	Pt	10.58	164	51.8	16.4	5.18	1.64	0.518
Potassium	K	6.8	131	41.5	13.1	4.15	1.31	0.415
Rhodium	Rh	4.7	109	34.5	10.9	3.45	1.09	0.345
Silver	Ag	1.63	64.3	20.3	6.43	2.03	0.643	0.203
Sodium	Na	4.9	111	35.2	11.1	3.52	1.11	0.352
Tantalum	Ta	13.5	185	58.5	18.5	5.85	1.85	0.585
Tantalum Nitride	TaN	252	799	253	79.9	25.3	7.99	2.53
Tin (pure)	Sn	12.6	179	56.5	17.9	5.65	1.79	0.565
Titanium	Ti	54	370	117	37.0	11.7	3.70	1.17
Tungsten	W	5.4	117	37.0	11.7	3.70	1.17	0.370
Urnaium	U	27	262	82.7	26.2	8.27	2.62	0.827
Yttrium	Y	53	366	116	36.6	11.6	3.66	1.16
Zinc	Zn	5.96	123	38.9	12.3	3.89	1.23	0.389
Zirconium	Zr	44	334	106	33.4	10.6	3.34	1.06

1: National Institute of Standards and Technology
2: Chemical Rubber Corporation

HyperPhysics Reference: hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Tables/rstiv.html
Institute of Science Technology: www.istonline.org.uk/Handbook.htm
Hamilton Precision metals: www.hpmetals.com/metals-er.html
IMI Scott Ltd: www.imiscott.co.uk/reswire_table.html
H Cross Company: hcrosscompany.com/metals/metals.htm
Goodfellow: www.goodfellow.com/csp/active/gfMaterials.csp
WebElements Periodic Table: www.webelements.com

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