Patent ID: 7042331

Claim:
A thick-film resistor component, comprising: a first electrically conductive sheet having first and second opposite surfaces; a first thick-film component having first and second opposite surfaces, the first surface of the first thick-film component adhered to the first surface of the first sheet; a first thick-film resistor having first and second surfaces, the first surface of the first resistor adhered to the second surface of the first thick-film component and to the first surface of the first sheet adjacent to the first thick-film component; and a first electrically insulating layer formed over the combination of the first thick-film component and the first resistor and the first electrically conductive sheet; wherein a portion of the first sheet is selectively removed adjacent to the first thick-film component such that a remaining first portion of the first sheet defines a first electrical contact to the first resistor, a remaining second portion of the first sheet defines a second electrical contact to the first resistor, and the first surface of the first thick-film component is at least partially exposed therebetween, the first resistor forming the thick-film resistor component between the first and second contacts wherein the portion of the first electrically conductive sheet is selectively removed via an etchant; and wherein the first thick-film component is formed of a material that is unreactive with the etchant and the first thick-film resistor is formed of a material that is reactive with the etchant, the first thick-film component shielding the first thick-film resistor from the etchant.