Addition of Nb2O5 on the electrical properties of buried resistors in low-temperature cofired ceramics

Nb2O5 was added to buried resistors for low-temperature cofired ceramics, and the electrical properties of the resultant resistors were examined. Remarkable increases in electrical resistivity and attractive decreases in the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) were observed by the addition of Nb2O5, which was attributed to the high solubility of Nb2O5 into the PbO-SiO2-Al2O3 matrix glass. With higher dissolved contents of Nb2O5 into the glass, the resistivity of buried resistors increased by approximately six-fold magnitude, while TCR decreased substantially toward zero. It was indicated that the conductance for these buried resistors was limited by tunneling of charge carriers through the thin glass layer penetrating into the ruthenium-oxide agglomerates. A larger separation observed between RuO2 particles due to high solubility of Nb2O5 in the glass increased the charging energy (E) and lump term (Rbo), which in turn gave rise to a higher resistivity and a lower TCR value.