Thick-film resistor/dielectric interactions in a low temperature co-fired ceramic package

Various commercial thick-film resistors are processed with a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) packaging material. The electrical properties and microstructure of the resistors are correlated. Three types of resistor/dielectric interfaces are observed. The interactions that occur between the resistor and the dielectric during the co-sintering process are affected by the physical and chemical properties of the glass phase of the resistor material. These interactions between the resistor and the dielectric are kinetically controlled by glass flow at the sintering temperature and thermodynamically driven by the activity gradients between components in the glass phases. The effect of these interactions on the sheet resistance and temperature coefficient of resistance of the resistor materials are discussed