Thermal Sight: A Position-Sensitive Detector for a Pinpoint Heat Spot

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Engineering

Background:

• High-precision positioning is crucial for scientific and technological advancements.
• Current position detection methods primarily utilize photoelectric effects in semiconductors.
• There is a need for alternative position-sensitive detector (PSD) technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate the concept of a thermoelectric-based position-sensitive detector (T-PSD).
• To demonstrate the T-PSD's capability in detecting heat spots from diverse energy sources.
• To explore T-PSD as a novel approach for high-precision position detection.

Main Methods:

• Mathematical derivation of the T-PSD concept based on heat conduction and the Seebeck effect.
• Finite element simulations to validate the T-PSD in 1D and 2D configurations.
• Fabrication of T-PSD prototypes using atomic layer deposition of aluminum-doped zinc oxide thin films and experimental testing with various heat sources (laser, soldering tip, electron beam).

Main Results:

• Successful theoretical and simulation-based validation of the T-PSD concept.
• Experimental demonstration of positional detection using fabricated T-PSD prototypes.
• Measurement of thermoelectric voltages correlated with heat spot position, intensity, and temperature.
• Development of decoding strategies for inferring position from measured signals.

Conclusions:

• The thermoelectric-based position-sensitive detector (T-PSD) presents a viable alternative to existing position detection technologies.
• T-PSD shows significant potential for applications requiring high-precision positioning, such as (quasi-)particle tracking and precision machinery.
• This work establishes a new paradigm for position-sensitive detector design based on thermoelectric principles.