Design, fabrication and characterization of thin film resistances for heat flux sensing application

The article presents the design, fabrication and characterization of platinum thin-film Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs) for heat flux sensing applications. The microfabrication process is described and the thin films are analysed by several methods including SEM, XRD and profilometry. Estimation of experimental uncertainties is performed. The influence of annealing, self-heating, 2-wire and 4-wire connections are studied. The analysis and experimental results show that the RTDs have a good repeatability when an annealing process is performed and a maximal injected current are used. A measurement uncertainty of 0.14 degrees C is achieved. The observed Temperature Coefficient Ratio is sufficient to ensure variation of the resistance in the temperature range. The heat flux measurements made with the sensor are validated in a dedicated test bench and present a good repeatability. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.