Printed circuit board with a multilayer integral thin-film metal resistor and method therefor

A method for manufacturing a printed circuit board having a two-layer thin-film metal resistor, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first electrically-resistive film and a first electrically-conductive layer on a substrate so that the first electrically-conductive layer overlies the first electrically-resistive film;
• etching the first electrically-conductive layer so as to define first and second metallic terminations on the first electrically-resistive film;
• depositing a positive-acting photodielectric material on the first electrically-resistive film and the first and second metallic terminations;
• forming a second electrically-resistive film and a second electrically-conductive layer on the positive-acting photodielectric material so that the second electrically-conductive layer overlies the second electrically-resistive film;
• etching the second electrically-conductive layer so as to define a mask that exposes a first portion of the second electrically-resistive film and masks a second portion of the second electrically-resistive film;
• using the mask to etch the second electrically-resistive film so as to remove the first portion of the second electrically-resistive film and expose a first portion of the positive-acting photodielectric material, the second portion of the second electrically-resistive film remaining between the mask and a second portion of the positive-acting photodielectric material;
• using the mask to expose and develop the positive-acting photodielectric material so as to remove the first portion of the positive-acting photodielectric material and expose the first and second metallic terminations and a first portion of the first electrically-resistive film, the second portion of the positive-acting photodielectric material remaining between the mask and a second portion of the first electrically-resistive film so as to define a dielectric layer;
• using the mask to etch the first electrically-resistive film so as to remove the first portion of the first electrically-resistive film and so that the second portion of the first electrically-resistive film remains between the mask and the substrate;
• etching the mask so as to define third and fourth metallic terminations on the second electrically-conductive layer;
• and then
• forming a plated via so as to electrically interconnect the second and third metallic terminations and thereby define a resistor path that starts at the first metallic termination, follows the first electrically-resistive film to the second metallic termination, continues to the third metallic termination through the interconnecting means, and then follows the second electrically-resistive film to the fourth metallic termination.