LTCC and thick-film microresistors

The dimensions of discrete passives, passive integrated components (arrays, networks) and embedded integral ones should be significantly reduced in the near future. Therefore the relations between minimal geometrical dimensions, technological accuracy and limitations and electrical properties become more and more important. This paper presents systematic studies of a wide spectrum of geometrical and electrical properties of thick-film and LTCC microresistors (with designed dimensions down to 50×50 μm²). The geometrical parameters (average length, width and thickness, relations between designed and real dimensions, distribution of planar dimensions) are correlated with basic electrical properties of resistors (sheet resistance, hot temperature coefficient of resistance, their distribution) as well as durability of microresistors to short electrical pulses.