Sensors Thick Film Materials for Sensors Introduction Thick film materials have been used for many years to build microelectronic circuitry. Historically, they were used to make military circuits, where their reliability and ability to operate in harsh environments were key factors. Other applications range from the use of thick film materials to make the heater elements on automotive rear windows to the production of flexible circuitry for computer keyboards.
Materials are available to generate most electrical functions.
These include materials for conductors, dielectrics and defined resistances, through to compositions with other particular electrical characteristics. They are usually applied by screen printing and are then cured or fired to make the final circuit. Layers can be printed on top of each other and, in this way, complete circuits can be built. The technique is suitable for generating features of small dimensions and, because of the versatility of the materials, many have been used in a wide variety of sensor applications. These notes summarize some of the applications which use thick film today.