Gold in thick film hybrid microelectronics

For a number of years microelectronic components have been made by screen printing patterns of resistive, conductive, insulating and dielectric pastes on to ceramic wafers and firing these in air to temperatures between 700 and 1000°C. Such thick film microcircuits are relatively inexpensive to make and offer a wide range of component values with good stable electrical properties. They have, therefore, found wide acceptance in industry and a substantial and increasing volume of thick film circuits is now being made.