Investigation of the applicability of electrical conductivity models to the analysis of low-frequency noise

Low-frequency noise is a fundamental phenomenon in electronic components and can serve as a highly sensitive diagnostic parameter for predicting device degradation. Carbon-based thick-film resistors exhibit pronounced noise characteristics, making them promising objects for studying charge transport mechanisms. The aim of this work is to correlate the current-voltage characteristics (I-V curves) and the low-frequency noise I-V characteristics to identify charge transport mechanisms. Carbon-containing thick-film resistors with a polymer binder were investigated. A comparison of the I-V curves and the I-V characteristics of low-frequency current noise was carried out in the frequency range of 0,5-10 Hz at temperatures of 25, 45, and 65 °C. The experimental data were analyzed in coordinate systems corresponding to the Schottky, Poole-Frenkel, and tunneling models (direct and thermally assisted tunneling, trap-assisted emission, Fowler-Nordheim tunneling). For the Schottky and Poole-Frenkel mechanisms, a high correlation between the I-V and noise I-V characteristics was observed, with an approximation reliability of R² > 0.98. In the case of tunneling models, deviations from linearity were observed in the low-voltage region, while at voltages above 2 V the dependencies became more linear, confirming the dominance of tunneling processes. It is shown that the analysis of noise characteristics can serve as a reliable tool for verifying electrical conduction mechanisms and can be applied to diagnose structural and energetic parameters of composite resistive materials.