FREESTANDING CARBON NANOTUBE NETWORKS BASED TEMPERATURE SENSOR

摘要

The present invention introduces a small-size temperature sensor, which exploits a random or oriented network of un-functionalized, single or multi-walled, carbon nanotubes to monitor a wide range of temperatures. Such network is manufactured in the form of freestanding thin film with an electric conductance proven to be a monotonic function of the temperature, above 4.2 K. Said carbon nanotube film is wire-connected to a high precision source-measurement unit, which measures its electric conductance by a standard two or four-probe technique. Said temperature sensor has a low power consumption, an excellent stability and durability, a high sensitivity and a fast response; its manufacturing method is simple and robust and yields low-cost devices. Said temperature sensor, freely scalable in dimension, is suitable for local accurate measurements of rapidly and widely changing temperatures, while introducing a negligible disturb to the measurement environment.