Resistive Voltage Divider Trace Width Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Resistive voltage dividers face accuracy and stability issues due to resistance value drift over temperature and time, particularly in high voltage applications, where the ratio of resistance values between high and low ohmic resistors can deteriorate due to manufacturing and environmental factors.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves using the same electrically resistive film material for both resistors, ensuring trace lengths are above a specific length to minimize interface and edge effects, and maintaining equal trace widths to stabilize the resistance ratio, thereby maintaining initial accuracy and long-term stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If different resistive film materials are used for high and low ohmic resistors, then resistance values can be optimized for each resistor, but the voltage ratio accuracy deteriorates due to different ageing effects and drift characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using the same resistive film material for both high and low ohmic resistors. This ensures that both resistors experience identical ageing effects and environmental influences, causing their resistance values to drift in the same direction and by similar amounts, thereby maintaining the voltage ratio accuracy over time and temperature variations.
2Area of stationary object
If the resistive film trace length is short, then the device size is reduced, but the interface and edge effects increase causing resistance value instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by establishing a minimum trace length parameter that is sufficiently long to minimize interface and edge effects. By setting the trace length above this specific threshold, the resistance value stability is improved while the device size remains compact, as the trace is kept as short as possible while still meeting the minimum length requirement.
3Manufacturing precision
If different trace widths are used for high and low ohmic resistors, then resistance values can be independently optimized, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to varying edge effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using the same trace width for both high and low ohmic resistors. This ensures that both resistors experience identical edge effects and manufacturing variations, causing their resistance values to drift together in the same direction, thereby maintaining the voltage ratio accuracy while still achieving the desired resistance values through appropriate trace length adjustments.
4Measurement precision
If the resistive trace is made long and narrow to achieve high voltage ratio, then the voltage ratio accuracy is improved, but the device area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the trace width parameter to be sufficiently wide, which allows the trace length to be shortened while maintaining the voltage ratio accuracy. This is achieved by ensuring the trace width is large enough to minimize edge effects, thereby reducing the required trace length and consequently the device area, while still achieving the desired high voltage ratio through appropriate length adjustments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures improved accuracy and temperature stability of the voltage ratio by matching the drifting characteristics of high and low ohmic resistors, allowing for compact design and reliable performance across a wide voltage range.
Implementation Method 1
made of an electrically resistive film material applied in form of a trace onto an insulating substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A resistive voltage divider includes first and second resistors, which are electrically connected in series and are made of a resistive film material which is applied in the form of a trace onto an insulating substrate. The divider's voltage ratio has a value between ten and one million. To improve the accuracy of the voltage divider, the first and second resistors are made of the same resistive film material, have a trace length above a corresponding specific trace length, and have approximately the same trace width.