Patent ID: 7810993

Claim:
A system for sensing a temperature in a subterranean environment, comprising: a signal generator, configured and arranged generate an electromagnetic signal; a sensor probe, locatable in a region of the subterranean environment, the sensor probe including a resonant circuit portion that includes a capacitive element, the resonant circuit portion being configured and arranged to receive energy from the electromagnetic signal and to generate a ringing signal in response to the electromagnetic signal, wherein the capacitive element of the sensor probe is responsive to a temperature condition in the region of the subterranean environment to modulate the ringing signal in accordance therewith; the capacitive element comprising: a substrate formed of a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the substrate has a first mount portion; a first conductive plate formed of a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is higher than the first coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the first conductive plate is attached to a first surface of the substrate and the first conductive plate has a first contact portion; and a second conductive plate having a second mount portion rotatably connected to the first mount portion of the substrate, the second conductive plate being adjacent to the first conductive plate; the first and second conductor plates together defining an adjustable gap therebetween, the adjustable gap being adjustable responsive to the temperature condition to alter a capacitance of the capacitive element; a receiver, configured and arranged to receive the modulated ringing signal; and a processor, configured and arranged to process the modulated ringing signal to obtain a measurement of the condition.