PARAMETER EXTRACTION OF RESISTIVE THERMAL SENSORS

Obtaining thermal parameters is important in evaluating the performanc e of thermal microsensors. Two experimental methods are described here for the study of the pressure-dependent thermal behavior of the senso rs: a bolometric method that utilizes a chopped light input to obtain a sensor frequency response, and deriving its thermal data therefrom; a d.c, electrical method that measures the heat required for balance u nder d.c. bias, and obtaining sensor information. The thermal conducta nce and capacitance, absorptance, as well as emissivity of a sensor ca n be extracted from the experimental measurements. These parameters pr ovide the essential data for the electrothermal SPICE program in the r elated design simulations.