Highly Linear Temperature Sensor Based on 4H-Silicon Carbide p-i-n Diodes

The linear dependence on temperature of the voltage drop difference measured on two diodes biased at different constant currents has been characterized in a range from room temperature up to 573 K. The realized proportional to absolute temperature sensor shows a good level of linearity and the corresponding rms error lower than 0.3%. Moreover, a maximum sensitivity of 610 µV/K has been obtained, with an extrapolated output converging to 0 V at T = 0 K, in agreement with theory and allowing a single-point temperature calibration.