TEGAM Awarded Patent for Advanced Thermistor Design


New design promises higher accuracy at frequencies up to 70 GHZ, while at the same time making the sensors easier to build



GENEVA, OH – TEGAM, Inc., a leading supplier of innovative RF power measurements, was recently awarded Patent No. 8,558,556, "Planar-axial thermistor for bolometry." This patent describes a novel way to construct very small planar thermistors on a substrate with very low heat transfer. The thermistors are more thermally isolated from the environment than are commercially produced thermistors. Both the small size and thermal isolation make them useful for measuring RF power at microwave frequencies up to 70 GHz.



TEGAM was able to achieve this high level of thermal isolation by first using a substrate with a low dielectric constant and low heat transfer, unlike typical industrial thermistor substrates. Onto that substrate, they apply thin, planar electrodes using any appropriate metallization process, such that a gap is created between the electrodes. Across the gap, resistive thermistor material having a high temperature coefficient is attached using a thick film process.



The electrodes are much wider than they are thick, and the width and cross-section can be tailored to match a surface waveguide, such as a stripline or the center conductor of a co-planar waveguide. By extending the length of the electrodes a significant distance from the actual resistive thermistor material, the thin metal serves to further thermally isolate the thermistor from metal traces to which the thermistor is attached.



According to Andy Brush, TEGAM CEO, "These special thermistors are allowing TEGAM to develop a next generation of microwave power standards using manufacturing techniques that we couldn’t use before.  We’re very excited about what we can do when we’re not limited by bead-on-wire technology."



About TEGAM

Headquartered just east of Cleveland, Ohio, TEGAM, Inc. specializes in the design, manufacture and support of a wide variety of test, measurement and calibration instruments. TEGAM is the worldwide leading manufacturer of RF power sensor calibration systems, for commercial and military applications. Founded in 1979, TEGAM has developed a wide variety of measurement instrumentation and markets its products around the world through a network of technical representatives and distributors in more than 40 countries.



TEGAM is internationally recognized for its offering of RF power sensor calibration systems, RF attenuation measurement systems, AC ratio standards and microohmmeters. In addition, the company supplies LCR meters, arbitrary waveform generators, high-voltage amplifiers, MEMS engine driver systems, handheld thermometers, humidity meters and other test and measurement solutions. TEGAM has recently introduced several new products, including the R1L-E2A Intrinsically Safe Microohmmeter (C-UL-US, ATEX), and the R1L-BR1 Microohmeter and Bond Tester Kit. For more information visit www.tegam.com or contact Sales at Sales@tegam.com.



TEGAM

10 Tegam Way

Geneva, Ohio 44041

USA



Contact: Adam Fleder

440-466-6100

afleder@tegam.com


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