Production of Resistors by Arc Plasma Spraying

[摘要] Arc plasma spraying (APS) is an accepted method of producing coatings for many engineering applications. Thewide range of materials that can be used to form the thick film coatings make this technique interesting as analternative method of producing electrical components and circuits.The manufacturing procedure is outlined and the potential advantages of this method of making thick filmresistors are listed.The effect on the physical and electrical properties of the films produced by variation of the arc plasma guncurrent, gas flow rate and powder particle size are reported together with the effect of varying gun/substratedistance and the topography of the substrate surface.It is shown that using a mixture of NiO and Fe3O4powders with a particle size range of 1–20μm it is possibleto produce films on a glass substrate with sheet resistivities from 5–500 Ω/sq; temperature coefficients of resistancevary from +20 to −8 × 10−4per ℃, depending on resistor composition and film thickness.The results given for a 10,000 hour life test carried out at 150℃ in air show a mean charge in resistance of ~−5%.It is concluded that APS offers a viable method of producing thick film resistors and conductors on low costsubstrates.

[学科分类] 工程和技术（综合）