Abstract
Glass viscosity effects on the electrical properties and microstructure of RuO2 based thick film resistors (TFR) using alumina modified lead borosilicate glasses were studied. AT 85$0^{\circ}C$, the glass viscosities were increased from 4.24Pa.s to 51.5Pa.s when the alumina was added from none to 14 weight percent to the standard glass of 63% PbO, 25% B2O3 and 12% SiO2. The resistivities of resistors were generally decreased and the microstructure development was retarded as the viscosity of the glass increased. This is contrary to the generally accepted thought that the low resistivity is due to fast microstructure development kinetics in TFR. Even though the glass viscosity retards the microstructure development kinetics, the overall network formations are favored for higher viscosity of glass, such that the sheet resistivities were decreased as the glass viscosity increased.