A robust low cost thick film system for the consumer market

This paper describes the fabrication and test of a new low cost thick film system using base metals. The resistor pastes were developed using non-prec ious metal oxides and contain molybdenum trioxide and other additives. The conductors are either silver or nickel. The dielectrics contain barium oxid e, but, unlike ruthenium based resistors, on related dielectrics, there is very little difference in resistor behavior on alumina from that on the die lectrics investigated. Long term stability tests show that the new resistor family, while less stable than those based on ruthenium, is suitable for m any low cost applications. Results suggest that high temperature ageing ten ds to minimize contact effects and that they are compatible with both silve r and nickel terminations.