Vishay's Thin Film Chip Resistors Boost Power in RF Designs
Illustrative image: Miguel Á. Padriñán on Pexels
Vishay has introduced the CHEP series, a new line of thin film chip resistors built on an aluminium nitride substrate for high frequency, high power applications.
The devices are surface-mount resistors used in RF circuits to dissipate power while maintaining signal integrity at high frequencies. They come in the compact 0402 and 0603 case sizes already standard in board layouts.
Vishay says the series delivers standard power ratings of 1.2 W in the 0402 size and 1.8 W in the 0603 size, well above rival solutions the company describes as often rated below 1 W. When mounted according to datasheet guidance, those ratings rise by 50 percent to 1.8 W and 2.8 W respectively, meaning more power can be handled in the same board footprint without adding a heatsink.
Frequency performance varies by mounting method. Flip-chip mounted 0402 devices operate to 50 GHz, while wraparound face-up mounting on the same case size supports up to 20 GHz. The 0603 case size supports operation to 40 GHz.
Vishay says the design minimises internal reactance, with LC values as low as 1 x 10⁻²⁴, reducing phase shift and noise while keeping impedance consistent, an important factor for RF signal chain performance.
Resistance range spans 20 Ω to 120 Ω, with tolerances down to ±1 percent and a temperature coefficient of ±100 ppm/°C, with ±50 ppm/°C available on request. The devices operate from -55°C to +155°C, are RoHS-compliant, halogen-free and Vishay Green.
Target applications include telecom and connectivity infrastructure such as LEO satellites, base station terminals, 5G and 6G networks, remote radio units and antennas, as well as aerospace and defence uses including drones, satellite payloads, guidance and telemetry systems, data links and phased array radar.
Samples and production quantities are available now, with lead times quoted at 16 weeks. Buyers specifying for RF or high-reliability programmes should confirm mounting method requirements against the datasheet, since power rating and frequency performance both depend on whether parts are flip-chip or wraparound mounted.
