Sensing Properties of a Novel Temperature Sensor Based on Field Assisted Thermal Emission
Zhigang Pan,
Yong Zhang,
Zhenzhen Cheng,
Jiaming Tong,
Qiyu Chen,
Jianpeng Zhang,
Jiaxiang Zhang,
Xin Li,
Yunjia Li
Affiliations
Zhigang Pan
State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710-049, China
Yong Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710-049, China
Zhenzhen Cheng
State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710-049, China
Jiaming Tong
State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710-049, China
Qiyu Chen
State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710-049, China
Jianpeng Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710-049, China
Jiaxiang Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710-049, China
Xin Li
Vacuum Micro-Electronic & Micro-Electronic Mechanical Institute, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Yunjia Li
State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710-049, China
The existing temperature sensors using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are limited by low sensitivity, complicated processes, or dependence on microscopy to observe the experimental results. Here we report the fabrication and successful testing of an ionization temperature sensor featuring non-self-sustaining discharge. The sharp tips of nanotubes generate high electric fields at relatively low voltages, lowering the work function of electrons emitted by CNTs, and thereby enabling the safe operation of such sensors. Due to the temperature effect on the electron emission of CNTs, the collecting current exhibited an exponential increase with temperature rising from 20 °C to 100 °C. Additionally, a higher temperature coefficient of 0.04 K−1 was obtained at 24 V voltage applied on the extracting electrode, higher than the values of other reported CNT-based temperature sensors. The triple-electrode ionization temperature sensor is easy to fabricate and converts the temperature change directly into an electrical signal. It shows a high temperature coefficient and good application potential.
