In attaching external leads to thin film sensors of platinum ribbon, liquid gold is applied to each end of the ribbon and the leads are soldered to the cured gold. The cured and soldered liquid gold shows no tendency to migrate and retains initial resistance characteristics when exposed to elevated temperatures

Loyd, J. R.

Pickard, R. F.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

July 1967	 Brief 67-10228 
NASA TECH BRIEF	
- I'M 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Substituting Gold for Silver Improves Electrical Connections 
The problem: 
In attaching external leads to thin film sensors of 
platinum ribbon, the standard procedure has been to 
apply liquid silver to each end of the ribbon and 
solder the leads to the cured silver. It has been found 
that, at elevated temperatures (1 100°-1300°F), the 
assembly is degraded by migration of the silver ions 
into the sensor pyrex substrate to a degree that elec-
trical resistance is first changed and eventually com-
pletely lost. 
The solution: 
The substitution of liquid gold for the liquid silver 
previously used to attach the leads. The liquid gold, 
after curing and receiving the soldered leads, showed 
no tendency to migrate and retained initial resistance 
characteristics when exposed to elevated temperatures. 
How it's done: 
A commercially available liquid gold is applied to 
the ends of the platinum sensor strip, cured, and
external leads soldered to the gold. To ,
 successfully 
attach the extremely fine leads to the gold contact 
areas, several layers of the liquid gold must be applied 
and cured before soldering. 
Note: 
Inquiries concerning this innovation may be di-
rected to:•
Technology Utilization Officer 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
Huntsville, Alabama 35812 
Reference: B67-10228 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: R. F. Pickard and J. R. Loyd 
of Astro-Space Laboratories, Inc. 
under contract to 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
(M-FS-2390) 
Category 03 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States 	 will be free from privately owned rights.
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Substituting gold for silver improves electrical connections

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