Resistor-based Temperature Sensors In Cmos Tech... Apr 2026

These utilize the doped regions of the silicon substrate. They often exhibit a higher TCR but are more susceptible to noise and substrate interference.

The TCR is not perfectly linear over wide ranges (e.g., -40°C to 125°C). Designers must implement compensation circuits, often using a combination of resistors with opposite temperature coefficients, to "flatten" the error curve. Applications and Future Outlook Resistor-based Temperature Sensors in CMOS Tech...

Resistors are notoriously sensitive to manufacturing "corners." A resistor on one wafer may have a significantly different base resistance than one on another. Consequently, resistor-based sensors typically require one- or two-point calibration to achieve high accuracy (e.g., error < ±0.5°C). These utilize the doped regions of the silicon substrate

High-ohmic polysilicon resistors can be fabricated in a smaller footprint than the multi-transistor arrays required for high-accuracy BJT sensing. At the heart of a resistor-based sensor is

At the heart of a resistor-based sensor is the Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR). In CMOS processes, different materials offer varying thermal responses:

BJT sensors require a minimum "headroom" voltage to operate accurately. Resistor-based topologies can often operate at much lower supply voltages (sub-1V), aligning better with modern ultra-low-power rails.

High-poly and low-poly resistors are frequently used. While they offer good linearity, their TCR can be sensitive to process variations.