Almost all heat flow sensors available on the market operate according to the Seebeck effect. The CiS Research Institute has developed a temperature sensor that uses a different technology. This sensor has temperature diodes connected in series as its functional unit, which are also operated via a bridge circuit. Compared to the variants available on the market to date, the new development has several advantages: firstly, the sensor has a larger signal swing. Secondly, it can also measure absolute temperatures. Thirdly, it is considerably cheaper. In addition, it offers the possibility of self-diagnosis, e.g. by operating the diodes in reverse direction to check whether they are still behaving as expected. The original version, which was based on a wafer stack, was supplemented by a layout with two opposing circuit boards and a quartz glass layer in between. This resulted in the development of a fast and inexpensive manufacturing process. The function of the chips was verified by independent measurements carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute in Freiburg (IPM). The innovative heat flow sensor forms a solid basis for the development of customer-specific solutions and applications in the field of the constantly growing industrial surface temperature and heat flow technology.
