Low Ohm Resistor Series for Optimum Performance in High Voltage Surge Applications

The growth in digital telecom systems around the world has led to an increase in demand for surge protection components. These components often use low ohm resistor compositions in a serpentine configuration. The demands placed upon these materials during pulsing are high. Not only are the materials expected to withstand more severe pulses, they are also expected to have minimal adverse effect on the environment. To meet these increased demands, a new system of surge resistor materials has been developed. The design, manufacture and testing of these materials ensures optimum performance in high voltage surge applications. This paper describes the performance of this new surge resistor system and discusses how the performance of the resistors relates to the paste constituents, encapsulant materials and the laser trimming process.