Sensistor is a

resistor A resistor is a passive two-terminal electronic component that implements electrical resistance as a circuit element. In electronic circuits, resistors are used to reduce current flow, adjust signal levels, to divide voltages, bias active e ...

whose resistance changes with

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...

. The resistance increases exponentially with temperature, that is the

temperature coefficient A temperature coefficient describes the relative change of a physical property that is associated with a given change in temperature. For a property ''R'' that changes when the temperature changes by ''dT'', the temperature coefficient α is def ...

is positive (e.g. 0.7% per degree

Celsius The degree Celsius is the unit of temperature on the Celsius temperature scale "Celsius temperature scale, also called centigrade temperature scale, scale based on 0 ° for the melting point of water and 100 ° for the boiling point ...

). Sensistors are used in

electronic circuit An electronic circuit is composed of individual electronic components, such as resistors, transistors, capacitors, inductors and diodes, connected by conductive wires or Conductive trace, traces through which electric current can flow. It is a t ...

s for compensation of temperature influence or as sensors of temperature for other circuits. Sensistors are made by using very heavily doped

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. Its conductivity can be modified by adding impurities (" doping") to its crystal structure. When two regions with different doping level ...

s so that their operation is similar to PTC-type thermistors. However, very heavily doped semiconductor behaves more like a metalDharma Raj Cheruku, Battula Tirumala Krishna, Electronic Devices and Circuits, 2nd edition, 2008, Delhi, India, and the resistance change is more gradual than it is the case for other PTC thermistors.

References

{{reflist Sensors

See also

References