Noise In Thick-film Resistors Research Articles

Low-frequency 1/f noise of RuO2-glass thick resistive films

Measurements of low-frequency noise in thick-film resistors at low temperatures are reported. Films were prepared in a standard “high temperature” process: 20 nm sized RuO2 powder was mixed with 0.5 μm granular lead–borosilicate glass and organic solvent to give a paste, which was then screen printed onto alumina substrates and fired in a tunnel furnace. Measurements below liquid helium temperature reveal that the low frequency (1/f) noise increases with decreasing temperature, approximately as T−α, α=2.1±0.1. Up to 4 T no dependence of noise intensity on magnetic field has been observed. Measurements of noise spectra in the range 4−300 K show that spectral and temperature slopes obey Dutta, Dimon, and Horn equation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 43, 646 (1979)] only in the range T>10 K. Below this temperature a gap of constant width opens between noise exponent calculated from the spectral slope and from temperature dependence of noise magnitude. This gap occurs due to the change of noise coupling mechanism that takes place at ≈10 K. At higher temperatures this coupling is temperature independent. At lower temperatures coupling becomes temperature dependent. It is shown that data agree quantitatively with the concept that noise sources modulate energies for thermally activated hops in the percolation network.

Multiple high-voltage pulse stressing of conventional thick-film resistors

In this paper, results from a study of multiple high-voltage pulse (MHVP) stressing effects on resistance and low-frequency noise of thick-film resistors based on resistor compositions with sheet resistances of 1, 10 and 100 kΩ/sq are presented. For experimental purposes, a series of thick-film test resistors with identical geometries were realized and exhibited to two types of tests: multiple series of 10 pulses with increasing amplitudes from the 0.5 to 4.0 kV range and multiple series of 10 pulses with constant 3 kV and 4.5 kV amplitudes. Obtained experimental results were analyzed and correlation between resistance and low-frequency noise changes with resistor degradation due to MHVP stressing was observed. Comparing the resistance and noise index changes it is shown that low-frequency noise parameters are more sensitive to this kind of resistor stressing than resistance. During high-voltage pulse stressing, certain number of resistors failed and progressive resistor degradation that led to catastrophic failure is also presented in this paper.

Noise in Thick Film Resistors

Various types of noise that can arise in a thick film resistor and contribute to overall noise of a hybrid circuit, are briefly reviewed. The origin of these noises, the effect of process parameters on them and their frequency dependence are discussed in some detail. Techniques to evaluate these noises are also specified. Design and process guidelines to minimise these noises in a thick film resistor are suggested.

Low-frequency noise in thick-film resistors due to two-step tunneling process in insulator layer of elemental MIM cell

In this paper, it is assumed that low-frequency noise source in thick-film resistors are fluctuations of the trap occupations by electrons, tunneling through insulator layer of the elemental cell. Two conducting particles separated by a thin insulating layer form the elemental cell (MIM structure). Trap charge fluctuations are modulating the MIM cell barrier, thus modulating the tunneling current and barrier resistance. A low frequency noise model is proposed under the assumption that the space distribution of traps in thick-film resistor is symmetrical with respect to the central plane of the MIM cell. Numerical results show that in the presence of small number of traps in insulator layer of the elemental cell, 1/f noise is exhibited in a narrow frequency range (4-5 decades). A model is applied on the experimental results for noise in thick-film resistors and a method of evaluation of the trapping state's parameters is discussed based on noise measurements.

Excess Noise in Thick Film Resistors: Volume Dependence

An investigation of the excess noise in thick film resistors as a function of the sample volume Ω has been performed. The results obtained on two different resistive series, based on bismuth ruthenate and ruthenium dioxide respectively, make clear that the excess noise follows an inverse relationship with Ω (and thus the slope of NI vs log Ω plots is equal to -10, NI being the noise index). Previously observed deviations from this behaviour are ascribed to inhomogeneity of composition in the resistive film, resulting from its interactions with the substrate and/or the terminations, as well as in changes of the resistors' thickness.

Physical model of burst noise in thick-film resistors : T. M. Chen and J. G. Cottle. Solid-St. Electron.29(9), 865 (1986)

Physical model of burst noise in thick-film resistors : T. M. Chen and J. G. Cottle. Solid-St. Electron.29(9), 865 (1986)

Physical model of burst noise in thick-film resistors

A physical model for burst-noise generation in thick-film resistors is presented. The noise is attributed to fluctuations of tunneling current flowing through a conductive metal particle chain containing a marginally conductive insulation layer located in a high-field region of the resistor. The fluctuation of the tunneling current is controlled by a change in the charge state of a single generation-recombination center located in the marginally conductive insulation layer. This model is used to explain the observed dependence of the burst-noise pulse amplitude on the biasing current and the dependence of the pulse widths on temperature.

The influence of air-abrasive trimming on the current noise of thick film resistors: Ying-Nam Lai and Juinn-Jey Chang Electrocomponent Sci. Technol. 9, 15 (1981)

The influence of air-abrasive trimming on the current noise of thick film resistors: Ying-Nam Lai and Juinn-Jey Chang Electrocomponent Sci. Technol. 9, 15 (1981)

The Influence of Air-Abrasive Trimming on the Current Noise of Thick Film Resistors

The Influence of Air-Abrasive Trimming on the Current Noise of Thick Film Resistors

Computerized Analysis of Burst Noise in Thick Film Resistors

A burst noise (popcorn noise) spectral measurement technique based on digital power spectrum estimation is presented. Application of this technique to thick film resistor burst noise is discussed. Several cases of thick film resistor burst noise are presented and analyzed.

Excess noise and its temperature dependence in thick-film (cermet) resistors

Measurements have been made of the current noise in thick-film resistors (TFR) based on Ru-pyrochlore conductive grains, with sheet resistivities covering a range of four decades. The temperature dependence of the exponent alpha in the 1/falpha noise spectra and of the relative integral noise was investigated in the temperature range from 77 to 650K. It is shown that the presence of a minimum in the relative voltage noise fluctuations ( Delta V2)/(V)2 is a general phenomenon, as is the increase in alpha with increasing temperature. Nevertheless these two effects seem not to be mutually correlated. The possibility of developing an interpretive model for noise phenomena in TFR is discussed.

1fγnoise in thick-film resistors as an effect of tunnel and thermally activated emissions, from measures versus frequency and temperature

Measurements of the frequency and temperature dependence of the noise spectrum and of its frequency exponent have been performed on thick-film resistors and, together with the direct plots versus the frequency logarithm of the spectrum-frequency product, they are used to check the island model of the flicker noise. It is shown that the wide dispersion of the island relaxation times, necessary to originate the flicker noise, is due to tunnel emission and/or thermal activation processes of electrons from localized states, and to the exponential dependence of their emission probability on random variable distances and activation energies, whose distribution functions, means, and variances are determined both theoretically and experimentally. I. PREMISE The island model of the low-frequency excess noises' shows that these phenomena, including the flicker noise, are generated by localized states, called islands, that exchange charge carriers with the surrounding conductive medium through tunnel emission and/or thermal activation processes. This latter type of process leads to a strong temperature dependence of the conductance 6 of the islands and of their relaxation times r Further. more, the model predicts that the product fSy(f, T) between the frequency f and the power spectral density Sq of the voltage fluctuations is related to the distribution function D of the logarithm of 6, calculated at — ln(f /f„), by the relationship fSv(f, T)= ((b V)~ ),D( — ln(f/f„) ), where ((AV) ), is the variance of the voltage fluctuations, f„ is a reference frequency, and T is the temperature. Consequently, a careful analysis of measured data of fSv vs ln(f/f„) over wide frequency and temperature ranges should be able to give interesting physical information of the investigated system and, together with a detailed model of the distribution function of the island conductance logarithm, should allow us to check quite easily the validity of the island theory of the flicker noise. In this paper we will show that both these goals have been attained by means of the study of the excess noise in thick-film resistors and of a measuring system that includes a digital signal analyzer that

The influence of air-abrasive trimming on the current noise of thick film resistors

The influence of air-abrasive trimming on the current noise of thick film resistors

Excess noise and refiring processes in thick-film resistors

Excess noise in thick-film resistors (TFRs) fired from one to ten times under the same firing profile has been investigated. The changes in structure and composition, which are responsible for variations in sheet resistivity and TCR, affect also the noise index of TFRS, sometimes in a substantial way, and the changes in noise index depend both on the resistor composition and the nature of the substrate. Moreover, the excess noise appears to be correlated to physico-chemical phenomena induced by refiring in the bulk of the resistors, much more than to changes in the density of microdefects (or microvoids) in the resistors investigated.

Conduction mechanisms and 1/f noise in thick-film resistors with Pb3Rh7O15and Pb 2Ru2O7

Thick-film resistors with Pb3Rh7015 and Pb2Ru20 7 as conductors are considered. These compounds are chemically stable during the firing process of the resistors. The variation of sheet resistivity R ⧠ with volume fraction conductor follows a simple power law. This result cannot be explained by percolation theory in its simple form. The conductivity is found to be independent of frequency up to 10 GHz. In both cases a small positive Hall coefficient is observed which is interpreted as being due to mixed electron and hole conduction. Finally the 1/ f noise is considered, and is found to vary approximately linearly with R⧠. A theoretical model for the 1/f noise in thick-film resistors is presented that accounts for this linear relationship. The observed deviations from linearity indicate that probably tunneling through barriers at the interfaces between the conducting grains is an important factor in determining the conduction.

The Influence of Air-Abrasive Trimming on the Current Noise of Thick Film Resistors

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of some air abrasive trim cuts on the current noise of thick film resistors. It was found that the current noise changed on trimming the resistors and that the percentage change in the current noise enabled important conclusions to be drawn. From these conclusions it was possible to specify optimum trim cuts for resistors for high power and high frequency thick film hybrid circuits.

Contact noise in thick film resistors: J. G. Rhee and T. M. Chen Solid St. Technol. p. 59 (September 1978)

Contact noise in thick film resistors: J. G. Rhee and T. M. Chen Solid St. Technol. p. 59 (September 1978)

High-voltage damage and low-frequency noise in thick-film resistors: H. Stevens, D. A. Gilbert and J. A. Ringo IEEE Transactions on Parts, Hybrids, and Packaging, PHP-12, No. 4 (December 1976)

High-voltage damage and low-frequency noise in thick-film resistors: H. Stevens, D. A. Gilbert and J. A. Ringo IEEE Transactions on Parts, Hybrids, and Packaging, PHP-12, No. 4 (December 1976)

Contact noise in thick film resistors : J. G. Rhee and T. M. Chen. Solid St. Technol. p. 59 (September 1978)

Contact noise in thick film resistors : J. G. Rhee and T. M. Chen. Solid St. Technol. p. 59 (September 1978)

The effects of trimming on the current noise of thick film resistors : T. M. Chen and J. G. Rhee. Solid St. Technol. p. 49 (June 1977)

The effects of trimming on the current noise of thick film resistors : T. M. Chen and J. G. Rhee. Solid St. Technol. p. 49 (June 1977)