Limiting characteristics of diode temperature sensors

The criteria are formulated, which allow determination of the sets of elect rophysical and design parameters of the diode temperature sensors (DTSs) pr oviding either maximal extent of the temperature response curve (TRC) or th e maximal sensitivity of DTSs. New method for a self-consistent device opti mization is developed in the framework of model of the diffusion current fl ow through an abrupt asymmetric p-n junction, the ideality factor of which is assumed to be equal to unity. For Si-, GaAs-, and Ge-based DTSs with n()-p and p(+)-n junctions, the limiting TRCs and temperature dependencies of the sensitivity have been calculated. The experimentally measured metrolog y characteristics of DTSs have been shown to be within the range restricted by the established limiting characteristics. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.