Patent ID: 9029180
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: G01K,H01C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of producing a temperature sensing device, the method including forming at least one silicon layer and at least one electrode or contact to define a thermistor structure, at least the silicon layer being formed by printing, and at least one of the silicon layer and said at least one electrode or contact being supported by a substrate during printing thereof, wherein the silicon layer is formed from an ink comprising silicon particles and a liquid vehicle composed of a binder and a suitable solvent, the silicon particles having a size in the range of 10 nanometers to 100 micrometers and a surface that allows the transport of electrical charge between the particles, the transfer of the electrical charge between individual particles or clusters of particles being limited by thermally activated processes; and wherein the overall transport of electrical current through the silicon layer follows a percolation path between interconnecting particles and clusters of particles such that the nominal, or room temperature, resistivity is governed in part by the microstructure of the silicon layer, which is modified by the addition of at least one additional conducting path into the silicon article layer by the modification of the ink composition, by varying the silicon to binder ratio or the addition of either an insulating phase of silica or ceramic nanoparticles or a conducting or semiconducting phase to the ink, thereby effectively to add a substantially temperature independent internal resistance in parallel with the temperature dependent resistance of the thermistor structure.