Thick film resistors having customizable resistances and methods of manufacture
A method includes blending a dielectric material including a titanate with a carbon-based ink to form a modified carbon-based ink. The method also includes printing the modified carbon-based ink onto a structure. The method further includes curing the printed modified carbon-based ink on the structure at a temperature that does not exceed about 250° C. In addition, the method includes processing the cured printed modified carbon-based ink to form a thick film resistor. An amount of the dielectric material blended with the carbon-based ink does not exceed about 15% by weight of the modified carbon-based ink. The modified carbon-based ink has a resistivity that is at least double a resistivity of the carbon-based ink. The thick film resistor may be configured to handle up to about 200 mA of current without fusing and/or handle up to about 1.0 W of power without fusing.
1. A method comprising:
blending a dielectric material comprising a titanate with a carbon-based ink to form a modified carbon-based ink;
printing the modified carbon-based ink onto a structure;
curing the printed modified carbon-based ink on the structure at a temperature that does not exceed about 250° C.; and
processing the cured printed modified carbon-based ink to form a thick film resistor;
wherein an amount of the dielectric material blended with the carbon-based ink does not exceed about 15% by weight of the modified carbon-based ink; and
wherein the modified carbon-based ink has a resistivity that is at least double a resistivity of the carbon-based ink.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material comprises at least one of: barium titanate, strontium titanate, and barium strontium titanate.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing the modified carbon-based ink onto the structure comprises printing the modified carbon-based ink onto the structure such that the printed modified carbon-based ink connects multiple conductive traces.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the printed modified carbon-based ink is cured at a temperature that does not exceed about 160° C.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the cured printed modified carbon-based ink to form the thick film resistor comprises etching the cured printed modified carbon-based ink to obtain a desired resistance value.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the cured printed modified carbon-based ink to form the thick film resistor comprises applying about 0.25 W to about 0.5 W of power to the thick film resistor.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thick film resistor is configured to at least one of:
handle up to about 200 mA of current without fusing; and
handle up to about 1.0 W of power without fusing.
8. A method comprising:
obtaining a modified carbon-based thick film material that comprises a carbon-based thick film material blended with a dielectric material;
depositing the modified carbon-based thick film material onto a structure;
curing the deposited modified carbon-based thick film material on the structure at a temperature that does not exceed about 250° C.; and
processing the cured deposited modified carbon-based thick film material to form a thick film resistor;
wherein an amount of the dielectric material blended with the carbon-based thick film material does not exceed about 15% by weight of the modified carbon-based thick film material.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the modified carbon-based thick film material has a resistivity that is at least double a resistivity of the carbon-based thick film material.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the dielectric material comprises a titanate.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein depositing the modified carbon-based thick film material onto the structure comprises depositing the modified carbon-based thick film material onto the structure such that the deposited modified carbon-based thick film material connects multiple conductive traces.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the deposited modified carbon-based thick film material is cured on the structure at a temperature that does not exceed about 160° C.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein processing the cured deposited modified carbon-based thick film material to form the thick film resistor comprises etching the cured deposited modified carbon-based thick film material to obtain a desired resistance value.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein processing the cured deposited modified carbon-based thick film material to form the thick film resistor comprises applying about 0.25 W to about 0.5 W of power to the thick film resistor.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the thick film resistor is configured to at least one of:
handle up to about 200 mA of current without fusing; and
handle up to about 1.0 W of power without fusing.
16. An apparatus comprising:
a thick film resistor fabricated by:
blending a dielectric material comprising a titanate with a carbon-based ink to form a modified carbon-based ink;
printing the modified carbon-based ink onto a structure;
curing the printed modified carbon-based ink on the structure at a temperature that does not exceed about 250° C.; and
processing the cured printed modified carbon-based ink to form the thick film resistor;
wherein an amount of the dielectric material blended with the carbon-based ink does not exceed about 15% by weight of the modified carbon-based ink; and
wherein the modified carbon-based ink has a resistivity that is at least double a resistivity of the carbon-based ink.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the dielectric material comprises at least one of: barium titanate, strontium titanate, and barium strontium titanate.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the thick film resistor electrically connects multiple conductive traces of the structure.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the thick film resistor is configured to handle up to about 200 mA of current without fusing.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the thick film resistor is configured to handle up to about 1.0 W of power without fusing.