[JahJahBinks]

Suppose I terminate a differential signal with a resistor that has to carry about 0.1 watt of power but has a worst case power dissipation of 10 watts, and the maximum duration of this occurrance is on the order of microseconds. Is it possible to use a resistor with smaller power rating? How small can it be?

 

[Pars]

Yes it is. For example, the Mills 5W wirewounds will take 5x their rated power for 5 seconds... the larger MRA-12s will do 10x. You will need to consult the datasheet for the resistor in question, but I would think a 1-2W resistor should be OK. BTW, the MRA-5 Mills resistors are supposed to sound pretty good, and are small physically.