Electrical conduction in thick film resistors

Abstract

The formation and electrical properties of the conductive network in RuO2 thick film resistors were investigated. As a result, a RuO2 thick film resistor having a high concentration of RuO2 has conductive chains of RuO2 and metal-like conduction. However, the resistor having a low RuO2 concentration has a reactive Layer that allows it to maintain its conductivity even though there are no conductive paths by mutual contact of RuO2 particles; it also has amorphous, semiconductor-like characteristics.

Mixed ionic and electronic conductivity of RuO2–glass composites from molten state to glassy state

“…The RuO 2 rutile phase is dense (q = 6.97 g/cm 3 ) and metallic conductive (r = 2.5 · 10 4 X À1 cm À1 at room temperature) whereas the matrix is less dense (q $ 2.5 g/cm 3 ) and ionic conductive, with conductivities ranging from 10 À15 to 1 X À1 cm À1 depending on the nature of the matrix and the temperature. In the solid state, the RuO 2 -glass system has been used for 30 years as a microelectric component, known as thick-film resistor (TFR) [1][2][3]. The electrical conductivity of those resistors can be tuned over a wide range of values by changing the RuO 2 /glass phase volume ratio.…”

On the Conduction Mechanism of Silicate Glass Doped by Oxide Compounds of Ruthenium (Thick Film Resistors). 3. The Minimum of Temperature Dependence of Resistivity

“…Electron microprobe analyses and atomic force microscope investigations [7] [41]- [43] of the interface of glass-RuO 2 show that there are the zone of higher concentration of Ru atoms in the glass round the RuO 2 particles. These zones are formed by diffusion of Ru atoms into the glass.…”

On the Conduction Mechanism of Silicate Glass Doped by Oxide Compounds of Ruthenium (Thick Film Resistors)

“…For example variable range hopping, tunneling through potential barrier, thermal activation, effective medium approach and combinations of them have been exploited [4][5][6][7][8] to explain the temperature dependence of the DSG resistivity ( ) …”