Method for fabricating a thin film resistor

A method for fabricating a thin film resistor, comprising the steps of:

• applying resistor material over a base layer;
• characterizing the sheet resistance of the resistor material by determining a resistance at at least one probe position characterization point of the resistor material;
• using the characterized sheet resistance to estimate a distance along a resistor portion of the resistor material required to obtain a predetermined resistance value;
• applying a metallization layer over the resistor material;
• and
• patterning the metallization layer with a first portion of the metallization layer situated apart from a second portion of the metallization layer, the first and second portions of the metallization layer being at least partially situated over the resistor material, the first and second portions of the metallization layer separated by the estimated distance.

A method for fabricating a plurality of thin film resistors, comprising the steps of:

• applying resistor material over a dielectric layer;
• applying a metallization layer over the resistor material;
• patterning the metallization layer to form the plurality of resistors, each one of the plurality of resistors including a first respective portion of the metallization layer situated apart from a second respective portion of the metallization layer and both the first and second respective portions of the metallization layer being at least partially situated over the resistor material;
• estimating a resistance value for each respective one of the plurality of resistors;
• estimating respective distances required for each of the respective resistors between the respective first and second portions of the metallization layer useful for obtaining a respective modified resistance value between the respective first and second portions of the metallization layer that is closer to a respective predetermined resistance value than the respective estimated resistance value;
• and
• trimming at least one of the respective first and second portions of the metallization layer of each of the respective resistors to create a respective actual distance between the respective first and second portions of the metallization layer equivalent to the respective estimated distance.