A chip resistor includes a substrate, and a plurality of resistor elements each having a resistive film provided on the substrate and an interconnection film provided on the resistive film in contact with the resistive film. An electrode is provided on the substrate. Fuses disconnectably connect the resistor elements to the electrode. The resistive film is made of at least one material selected from the group of NiCr, NiCrAl, NiCrSi, NiCrSiAl, TaN, TaSiO.sub.2, TiN, TiNO and TiSiON.

A chip resistor includes a substrate, and a plurality of resistor elements each having a resistive film provided on the substrate and an interconnection film provided on the resistive film in contact with the resistive film. An electrode is provided on the substrate. Fuses disconnectably connect the resistor elements to the electrode. The resistive film is made of at least one material selected from the group of NiCr, NiCrAl, NiCrSi, NiCrSiAl, TaN, TaSiO.sub.2, TiN, TiNO and TiSiON.

A high reliability variable resistor device for extending the lifetime of the potentiometer includes a substrate that is electrically insulative. The substrate is installed within a control circuit having a control switch. A wiper movably coupled to the substrate is electrically conductive. A resistive material and a conductive common trace are coupled to the substrate. An array of taps electrically coupled to the resistive material extends perpendicularly outward toward the common trace. The wiper contacts at least one of the array of taps while being spaced from the resistive material. The wiper moves across the array of taps and the common trace when the wiper moves along the substrate in response to actuation of the control switch. The spacing of the array of taps along the resistive material forms a series of resistive changes that adjusts a setting of the control circuit.

A variable resistor and a digital-to-analog converter are provided. The variable resistor includes a main resistor, a plurality of switches, and a plurality of redundancy resistors. The switches are respectively constituted by a plurality of non-volatile memory cells. The switches are coupled to the main resistor. The redundancy resistors are respectively coupled to the main resistor through the switches.

A variable resistor and a digital-to-analog converter are provided. The variable resistor includes a main resistor, a plurality of switches, and a plurality of redundancy resistors. The switches are respectively constituted by a plurality of non-volatile memory cells. The switches are coupled to the main resistor. The redundancy resistors are respectively coupled to the main resistor through the switches.