Gauge factor enhancement driven by heterogeneity in thick-film resistors

We present a simple picture of the gauge factor (GF) enhancement in highly heterogeneous materials such as thick-film resistors. We show that when the conducting phase is stiffer than the insulating one, the local strains within the latter are enhanced with respect to the averaged macroscopic strain. Within a simple model of electron tunneling processes, we show that the enhanced local strain leads to values of GF higher than those expected for a homogeneous system. Moreover, we provide formulas relating the enhancement of GF to the elastic and microstructural characteristics of thick-film resistors. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.