Thick film resistive paint and resistors made therefrom

A method for preparing a base metal resistive paint for screening upon a substrate to form a resistive pattern thereon, which comprises:

• (a) mixing from 45 to 65% of a glass frit from at least one of a first and second glass material, the first glass material comprising 5 to 10% SiO.sub.2, 30 to 50% BaO, 40 to 60% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 1 to 5% CuO, and a second glass material comprising 50 to 70% B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 25 to 40% SrO, and 2 to 10% SiO.sub.2 ;
• (b) mixing from 45% to 65% of the glass frit with from 10 to 30% of a mixture comprising TiSi.sub.2 and at least one of Ti.sub.5 Si.sub.3 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ;
• (c) blending the glass frit and the mixture of TiSi.sub.2 and at least one of Ti.sub.5 Si.sub.3 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 with from 18 to 35% of a screening agent having no carbon residue when pyrolytically decomposed in an inert atmosphere;
• (d) screening the resistive paint thus made onto a substrate;
• (e) drying the screened substrate in air;
• and
• (f) firing the screened substrate in an inert atmosphere at a peak temperature of 900.degree. C..+-.20.degree. C.

A thick film base metal resistor having a substrate with a a resistive paint screened and fired thereon, wherein the improvement comprises:

• (a) controllably blending a glass frit selected from at least one of a first and second glass material, the first glass material comprising 5 to 10% SiO.sub.2, 30 to 50% BaO, 40 to 60% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 1 to 5% CuO;
• and the second glass material comprising 50 to 70% B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 25 to 45% SrO, and 2 to 10% SiO.sub.2 ;
• (b) mixing 45 to 65% of the blended glass frit with 10 to 30% of a selected mixture comprising TiSi.sub.2 and at least one of Ti.sub.5 Si.sub.3 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ;
• (c) screening the resistive paint onto a substrate;
• (d) drying the screened substrate in air prior to firing;
• and
• (e) firing the screened substrate in an inert atmosphere at a peak firing temperature of approximately 900.degree. C., wherein the selected quantity of the first and second glass material and the selected mixture of TiSi.sub.2 and at least one of Ti.sub.5 Si.sub.3 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, provide a means to control the sheet resistivity and the TCR of the base metal resistor made therefrom.