A Wide Range Temperature Sensor Using SOI Technology

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology is becoming widely used in integrated circuit chips for its advantages over the conventional silicon counterpart. The decrease in leakage current combined with lower power consumption allows electronics to operate in a broader temperature range. This paper describes the performance of an SOI-based temperature sensor under extreme temperatures and thermal cycling. The sensor comprised of a temperature-to-frequency relaxation oscillator circuit utilizing an SOI precision timer chip. The circuit was evaluated under extreme temperature exposure and thermal cycling between -190 {degree sign}C and +210 {degree sign}C. The results indicate that the sensor performed well over the entire test temperature range and it was able to re-start at extreme temperatures.