Transistors as absolute thermometers

Abstract

The short-circuit collector current of several silicon n-p-n transistors has been measured as a function of emitter-base voltage for temperatures in the range 77-400 K. The results show that these characteristics may be used to give directly the absolute temperature with an uncertainty of better than 0.5 K and to better than 1 part in 103 at room temperature. The transistors act as primary absolute thermometers.