Behaviour of semiconductor low temperature sensors in electromagnetic environments

The effect of an electromagnetic field, with frequencies in the 30 – 300 MHz range, on semiconductor cryogenic thermometers, eg silicon diode temperature sensors as well as silicon and germanium resistance thermometers, has been investigated at temperatures from 70 to 300 K.The changes in voltage drop or resistance versus temperature characteristics of the tested thermometers for various fixed frequencies of external electromagnetic field have been found. The frequency dependent electromagnetic field behaviour of the thermometers was studied and a resonance character of the ‘error’ ΔT has been evaluated.It has been shown that the semiconductor low temperature sensors may only be used for accurate recalibration in the presence of a well-known, low-intensity EM field at a constantly held frequency not corresponding with the maximum values of ΔT.