Thick film wide terminal current sense resistors for high power applications

Applications for surface mount chip resistors with high power requirements generally mean higher circuit temperatures due to thermal resistance limitations. One of the most common and economical options for decreasing the effects of power is wide terminations. By applying the terminations to the long sides of the part, the hot spot temperature of a given chip size is lowered by 30% to 40%. Increasing power handling and decreasing heat is critical for current sensing functions as power levels tend to cause the sense resistor to run hot.

Stackpole Electronics' CSRW offers wide terminations in 0508, 0612, and 1225 sizes with power ratings from 0.5W to 3W, which supplies designers with higher power capability in a given footprint while decreasing the sensing element's thermal resistance.