Bulk metal resistor offers improved load-life stability

Vishay Intertechnology Inc. has released the VSMP0603, an ultrahigh-precision bulk metal Z-Foil (BMZF) wraparound surface-mount resistor.

The device is touted to be the first in the 0603 chip size to offer a military-grade absolute TCR of ±0.2ppm/°C from -55°C to +125°C, +25°C ref., a tolerance of ±0.01 percent, and an almost immeasurable 1ns rise time without ringing. While typical 0603 resistors offer a load-life stability of ≥0.1 percent through a 1,000hr workload, the VSMP0603 features an improved load-life stability of ±0.005 percent at +70°C for 2,000hrs at rated power.

Z-Foil technology
The VSMP0603 is built on Vishay's "Z- Foil" technology, which provides a significant reduction of the resistive component's sensitivity to ambient temperature variations (TCR) and applied power changes (PCR). Z-Foil improves stability allowing designers to guarantee a high degree of accuracy in fixed-resistor applications.

The new resistor also features a full wraparound termination that ensures safe handling during the manufacturing process, as well as providing stability during multiple thermal cycling. The VSMP0603 offers resistance values from 100? to 4k?, and like all Vishay Foil resistors, can be manufactured with any resistance value within the given resistance range without influencing cost or lead time. The device is rated for power levels up to 50mW at +70°C and can withstand ESD in excess of 25kV.

In addition, the VSMP0603 is built to handle unconventional environmental conditions with minimal drift, making it well suited for military/space applications according to EEE-INST-002 specifications and MIL-PRF 55342. The ultimate component for analog applications, the resistors' construction guarantees a high level of reliability, stable operation in harsh conditions, and high resistance to thermal shock, mechanical shock, and vibrations.

The device also allows designers to achieve much better performance by combining a range of high-precision specifications in a single device. In addition to its low TCR, tight tolerance and load life stability values, the VSMP0603 offers PCR (ΔR due to self heating) of ±5ppm at rated power, a low voltage coefficient of Typical applications for the VSMP0603 will include DC/DC converters, feedback and sense circuits, and high precision amplifiers in test and measurement instrumentation; laboratory, industrial, and medical systems; electron beam applications; satellites and aerospace systems; commercial and military avionics; audio systems; down-hole drilling instrumentation; and weigh scales.

Samples of the VSMP0603 resistor are available now, with lead times from six weeks. Production quantities will be available in December 2008, with lead times of six weeks for standard orders.