Thermistor-like pn junction temperature-sensor with variable sensitivity and its combination with a micro-air-bridge heater

A new type temperature-sensor of pn junction diode and micro-air-bridge heater combined with this one, are proposed and demonstrated. This pn junction diode temperature-sensor can cover very wide temperature range of about −200 to 500 °C (for about −200 to 150 °C by adjusting the forward bias-voltage; for about 150–500 °C by reverse bias-voltage of about 1 V) with very high sensitivity and accuracy like a NTC thermistor. It is confirmed that the heater combined with this pn junction temperature-sensor formed on the micro-air-bridge of 700 μm×700 μm has very quick response (thermal time constant of about 16 ms) and very high sensitivity and stability by feedback control.