The next generation of robust and reliable temperature sensing equipment may be much more accurate, with the advent of a new form of crystal that can deliver highly accurate temperature readings down to individual milli-kelvins, over a very broad range of temperatures: –120 to +680 degrees centigrade.
Researchers at the University of Warwick and Oxford University developed a reproducible and low-cost method of modifying the properties of crystalline lithium tantalite so that its birefringence is virtually independent of the crystal’s thickness and position, making it resistant to vibration and easier to manufacture.
The device, called the Zero-Birefringence Optical Temperature Sensor (Z-BotS), opens the possibility of remote temperature sensing of challenging environments. It also may help increase the accuracy of temperature sensing equipment in electromagnetic, radio frequency, and high voltage environments, such as in the vicinity of MRI scanners in hospitals, industrial microwave dryers, and the human body.
The researchers are working with Isis Innovation and Warwick Ventures to explore licensing opportunities for this new technology. Click here for more information about this invention, which is now the subject of a patent application.
Also: Learn about a small, high-resolution, low-power thermometer developed for use in ultra-low temperatures.
