| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 750108 | Sensors and Actuators A: Physical | 2006 | 6 Pages |
Due to unique features like small thermal masses and reduced conductivities, membrane-based micromachined thermal sensors offer features superior to those provided by comparable macroscopic measurement setups. In this contribution a micromachined device is applied to characterize the thermal transport properties of various liquids. By means of sinusoidal excitation of a heater structure placed on a membrane and recording the resulting temperature at a specified distance using integrated germanium thermistors, the liquid's thermal parameters can be determined. A simple two-dimensional (2D) analytical model allows to interpret the amplitude and the phase of the measured sinusoidal temperature variation yielding both, the thermal conductivity and the diffusivity of the liquid.
