Thin-film resistor device

• US 20040201447A1
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wong, Marvin Glenn
• Application Number:
  US10/413,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20040201447A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 338/309
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 1/016 with compensation for resistor expansion or contraction
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/006 Thin film resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2061/006 Micromechanical thermal relay

Abstract

A thin-film resistor device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device comprises a substrate supporting first and second contacts. A compliant material is deposited on the substrate. A thin-film resistor is deposited on the compliant material and coupled between the first and second contacts.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substrate;

first and second contacts, supported by and in direct contact with the substrate;

a compliant material deposited on the substrate; and

a thin-film heater resistor coupled between the first and second contacts and deposited on the compliant material so that the thin-film heater resistor forms a weak bond with the compliant material and at least partially delaminates from the compliant material as the thin-film heater resistor heats.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the compliant material comprises a corrugated material.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the compliant material comprises polyimide.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the thin-film heater resistor comprises a ceramic heater resistor.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the ceramic heater resistor comprises a tantalum nitride resistor.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the thin-film heater resistor comprises one of molybdenum and tungsten.

30. The device of claim 2, wherein the thin-film heater resistor is corrugated.

3-4. -4 (canceled)

9-23. -23 (canceled)

24. A device comprising:

a substrate;

first and second contacts, supported by and in direct contact with the substrate;

a corrugated compliant material deposited on the substrate; and

a thin-film heater resistor coupled between the first and second contacts and deposited on the corrugated compliant material so that it contacts at least two ridges of the corrugated compliant material.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the corrugated compliant material comprises a material that results in the thin-film heater resistor forming a weak-bond with the corrugated compliant material so that the thin-film heater resistor at least partially delaminates from the corrugated compliant material as the thin-film heater resistor heats.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the corrugated compliant material comprises polyimide.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the thin-film heater resistor comprises a ceramic heater resistor.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the ceramic heater resistor comprises a tantalum nitride resistor.

29. The device of claim 24, wherein the thin-film heater resistor comprises one of molybdenum and tungsten.

31. The device of claim 24, wherein the thin-film heater resistor is corrugated.