Harsh environment temperature sensor based on 4H-Silicon carbide PN diode

In this paper, we present a high-performance temperature sensor based on 4H-SiC pn diode which can stably operate in a temperature range from 20 to 600°C. The linear temperature dependence of the forward voltage at a constant current and the exponential temperature dependence of the reverse current at a constant voltage are used for sensing temperature variation. At a forward current of 1 μA, the device achieves a sensitivity of 2.8 mV/K. In the reverse biased mode, the linear relationship of logI versus 1/T can be used for temperature sensing. For the first time, a 4H-SiC pn diode is used for the development of high temperature sensor operating up to 600°C. This type of sensor can be integrated with SiC circuitry to create a sensing module that is capable of working at extremely high temperatures.