TEMPERATU

RE SENSORS
ADITYA GUPTA
A12405411013
7MAE
ASE
WHAT IS A SENSOR ?
A sensor is a device that detects events or changes in quantities and
provides a corresponding output, generally as an electrical or optical signal.
For example, a thermocouple converts temperature to an output voltage. But
a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into
expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated glass
tube.

WHAT IS A TEMPERATURE
SENSOR ?
A temperature sensor is a device that gathers data concerning the
temperature from a source and converts it to an understandable/readable
form.
These conversions are generally of the type
expansion or contraction of solids, liquids or gases,
the changes in electrical resistance of conductors and semi-
conductors,
thermoelectric emfs.
BI-METALLIC STRIPS
A bimetallic strip is used to convert a temperature change into mechanical
displacement.
This device consists of two different metal strips bonded together.
The metals have different coefficients of expansion and when the temperature
changes, the composite strip bends into a curved strip, with the higher coefficient
metal on the outside of the curve.
APPLICATION
Clocks (to compensate temperature
changes)
Thermometers (Breguets
thermometer has tri-metallic helix)
Electrical devices (as circuit
breakers)
RESISTANCE TEMPERATURE
DETECTORS (RTD)
The resistance of metals increases with the increase in the temperature in a
linear way.


R is the resistance at temperature T, Ro is the
resistance at temperature To, is the
coefficient of temperature resistance.
Such detectors are highly stable and have high response time of 0.5 to 5 s.
THERMISTORS
Thermistors are small pieces of material made from
mixtures of metal oxides, such as chromium, iron, etc.
The resistance of the thermistors changes in a very
non-linear manner with the change in temperature.
There are two types of thermistors, namely,
NTC (negative temperature coefficients)
thermistor and
PTC (positive temperature coefficients) thermistor.
The resistance-temperature relationship for a
thermistor can be described as



Where Rt is the resistance at temperature t,
K and are constants.
They can be very small thus enabling temperatures to
be monitored at virtually a point.
They give rapid and very large changes in resistance
per degree change in temperature.
Their main disadvantage is their non-linearity.

TRANSISTORS
(THERMODIODES)
A junction semiconductor diode is used as a temperature sensor.
When the temperature of the doped semiconductor changes, the mobility of
their charge carriers changes and this affects the rate at which electrons and
holes can diffuse across a p-n junction.
When a p-n junction has a potential difference V across it, the current I
through the junction is a function of the temperature


Where, T is the temperature in Kelvin scale,
e is the charge on an electron, and
k and I0 are constants.
Rearranging the above equation we get



For a constant current I, V is proportional to the temperature in the Kelvin
scale.
Thus, change in temperature can be measured as the change in the voltage
for a constant current I.
The main advantage is that this device gives voltage as a linear function of
temperature.
Similarly, for thermodiodes, the voltage across the junction between the base
and the emitter depends on the temperature and can be used as a measure
of temperature.
THERMOCOUPLES
If two metals are joined together, a potential difference occurs across the
junction. The potential difference depends on the metals used and the
temperature of the junction.
A thermocouple is a complete circuit having two such junctions.
If both junctions are at same temperature, there is no net emf. However, if
there is a temperature difference, there is a net emf.
If temperature of one of the junction is 0C, then emf is given as
LIGHT SENSORS
ADITYA GUPTA
A12405411013
7MAE
ASE
WHAT ARE LIGHT SENSORS ?
Photodiodes are semiconductor junction diodes which are connected into a
circuit in reverse bias, so giving a very high resistance.
Thus, when a light falls on the junction the diode resistance drops and the
current in the circuit rises appreciably.
A photodiode is used as a variable resistance device controlled by the light
incident on it.
Photodiodes have a very fast response to light.
These photodiodes are called light sensors.
PHOTOTRANSISTORS
The phototransistors have a light-sensitive collector-base p-n junction.
When there is no incident light there is a very small collector-to-emitter
current.
When the light is incident, a base current is produced that is directly
proportional to the light intensity.
This leads to the production of the collector current which is then a measure
of the light intensity.
PHOTORESISTOR
A photoresistor has a resistance which depends on the
intensity of the light falling on it.
This resistance decreases linearly as the intensity of the
light falling on the photoresistor increases.
The cadmium sulphide photoresistor is most responsive
to light having wavelengths shorter than about 515nm.
The cadmium selinide photoresistor is most responsive
to light having wavelengths shorter than about 707nm.
An array of light sensors is often required in a small
space in order to determine the variations of light
intensity across that space.

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