Characteristics of silicon thin film thermistors

This paper presents the characteristics of silicon thin film thermistors. The polycrystalline silicon and amorphous silicon films were deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) to serve as thermistors. We have studied the effects of temperature on thermistor with various boron implantation doses from 1.0times10¹⁶ to 2.0times10¹⁶ cm^-2. The thermistors were characterized by temperature control system from -50 to +150degC. In the case of poly-Si thermistors, the results show the U-shaped polynomial relationship between resistance and temperature. Negative slope occurred in the low temperature range, whilst positive slope appeared in the high temperature range. The critical point was found where the slope was zero. The position of the critical point shifted depend on implanted doses. Furthermore, the characteristics of the poly-Si thermistor can be determined by implantation doses. In the case of the resistance of amorphous thermistor, it changed with temperature in linear function, resistance increased when temperature was increased. In addition, doses of implantation are independent of the effects of resistance-temperature relationship. Finally, doses of implantation are the main parameter used to describe characteristics of thermistors. The results data are useful for simulation, selection and integration of thin films thermistor as temperature devices in integration circuit(IC).