Abstract
Resistance distribution in thin film type SFCL elements of different shunt layer thickness was investigated. The 300 nm thick film of 2 inch diameter was coated with a gold layer and patterned into 2 mm wide meander lines. The shunt layer thickness was varied by ion milling the shunt layer with Ar ions, and also by having the shunt layer grown in different thickness. The SFCL element was subjected to simulated AC fault current for measurements. It was immersed in liquid nitrogenduring the experiment. The resistance distribution was not affected by the shunt layer thickness at applied voltages that brought the temperature of the elements to similar values. This result could be explained with the concept of heat transfer from the film to the surroundings. The resistance distribution was independent of the shunt layer thickness because thick sapphire substrates of high thermal conductivity dominated the thermal conductance of the elements.
