Parameter extraction of resistive thermal microsensors by AC electrical method

Obtaining device parameters of thermal microsensors is essential for evaluating their performances and simulation modeling. We report an ac electrical method for extracting these parameters experimentally with relatively simple instrumentation. The basic parameters of resistive microsensors, the resistance, temperature coefficient of resistance, thermal capacitance, and conductance, are derivable from the second harmonic signal of the output voltage induced by a sinusoidal driving current. The results are compared with other methods.