Silicon-based micro calorimeter with single thermocouple structure for thermal characterization

We proposed a silicon-based micro calorimeter with a single thermocouple structure for heat detection. Silicon as a material with high Seebeck coefficient is employed to achieve prominent sensitivity using a single thermocouple junction. The suspended bridge structure composed of the device layer of silicon on insulator (SOI), which is one important thermocouple materials, is also fabricated for micro calorimeter by the microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology to obtain reduced heat loss and achieve high sensitivity and fast response. The fabricated micro calorimeter shows a sensitivity of 0.44 V/W and response time less than 20 ms. The single thermocouple structure allows facile fabrication process and compact structure for portable thermal detection sensor. This proposed silicon-based thermocouple calorimeter with a bridge structure is capable of integrating a silicon sensor into the micro fluidic system for applications in health detection.