Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE: VSH)announces that it has released an updated version of its capabilities brochure on ultra-high-precision Bulk Metal foil resistors. The brochure, titled Seven Technical Reasons to Specify Bulk Metal Foil, highlights the features and benefits of these resistors, which outperform all other types of resistors available. Bulk Metal Foil is used primarily in demanding analog applications. The updated brochure includes a new specification for power coefficients of resistance. It also describes a new alloy (Z- Foil) that improves the existing low temperature coefficient of resistance to almost zero.

Invented by Dr. Felix Zandman in 1962, Bulk Metal foil resistors were (together with foil resistance strain gages), the first products manufactured and marketed by Vishay. Over the years, as Vishay has grown from the start-up company founded by Dr. Zandman to become one of the world''s largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components, Dr. Zandman -- now Chairman of the Board, Chief Technical Officer, and Chief Business Development Officer -- has spearheaded an ongoing series of improvements to the original Bulk Metal foil resistor product line. These improvements include Z-Foil, which provides an absolute temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of 0.2 ppm/°C.

Seven Technical Reasons to Specify Bulk Metal? Foil is designed to help educate new circuit design engineers and others who need to use resistors for applications that require precision, stability, and reliability. As explained in the brochure, Bulk Metal foil resistors feature a TCR that is lower than that of all other types of resistors. The lower the TCR, the better a resistor can maintain its precise value despite ambient temperature variations and self-heating when power is applied.

The brochure provides a thorough overview of the areas in which Bulk Metal foil technology outperforms other resistor technologies:

Stability of resistance value when a resistor''s temperature changes.
- Low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). Resistance change due to changes in ambient   temperature: to 0.2 ppm/°C.
- Low power coefficient of resistance (PCR). Resistance change due to self-heating when power is   applied: 5 ppm at rated power. (Precision current-sensing applications)
Resistance tolerance to 0.001%.
Load-life stability to 0.005% at +70 °C for 2000 hours.
Current noise of < -40 dB.
Response time to 1 nanosecond without ringing.
Low thermal EMF: < 0.05 V/°C.
Non-measurable voltage coefficient.
Rise time of 1 nanosecond.