Light-Harvesting Self-Powered Monolithic-Structure Temperature Sensing Based on 3C-SiC/Si Heterostructure.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Semiconductor Physics
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Energy harvesting is crucial for the Internet of Things (IoT).
• Self-powered sensors reduce reliance on external power sources.
• Existing temperature sensors often require separate power supplies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel monolithic 3C-SiC/Si heterostructure for energy harvesting and temperature sensing.
• To evaluate the performance of this heterostructure as a light-harvesting, self-powered temperature sensor.
• To explore its potential applications in the Internet of Things.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication and characterization of a monolithic 3C-SiC/Si heterostructure.
• Evaluation of photon energy conversion efficiency.
• Measurement of thermoresistive properties and temperature sensing capabilities.
• Assessment of sensor performance under varying light intensities and temperatures.

Main Results:

• The 3C-SiC/Si heterostructure exhibits a negative temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) from -3500 to -8200 ppm/K.
• A lateral photovoltage of up to 58.8 mV was generated under 12,700 lx illumination.
• The sensor demonstrated high sensitivity in self-power mode (360 μV·K^-1 at 12,700 lx).
• The sensor successfully measured temperatures up to 300 °C while self-powered.

Conclusions:

• The monolithic 3C-SiC/Si heterostructure effectively harvests photon energy for self-powering and temperature sensing.
• This technology presents a significant advancement for self-powered sensors in demanding environments.
• It opens new possibilities for integrated sensing and energy harvesting solutions in IoT applications.