High Speed Thick Film Fuses

The increasing use of small, expensive, complex electronic systems using VLSI chips has created the need to develop fail‐safe protection devices with a fast acting response working in a low voltage and low current range that are compatible with modern assembly procedures. This paper shows that 3‐layer co‐fired thick film fuses are capable of very high speed protection for low voltage circuits. Their small size enables them to be incorporated in a total circuit or made as surface mounted chip components.