Measurement of Excess Noise in Thin Film and Metal Foil Resistor Networks

Low-frequency resistance fluctuations cause excess noise in biased resistors. The magnitude of these fluctuations varies significantly between different resistor types. In this work measurements of excess noise in precision thin film and metal foil resistor networks are presented. The lowest levels were found in metal foil devices, followed by thin film NiCr networks deposited on silicon substrates. Higher excess noise with a significant spread between different types was seen in thin film devices deposited on ceramic substrates.