In the landscape of modern microelectronics, the transition from discrete sensing components to fully integrated silicon solutions have become a necessity for the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) and high-performance computing. This design explores the utilization of the MOSFET as a primary temperature-sensing transducer, leveraging its inherent thermal sensitivity rather than treating heat as a parasitic interference. By operating the MOSFET in the subthreshold (weak inversion) or saturation regions, this study exploits the predictable, linear relationship between temperature and key parameters such as threshold voltage (Vth) and carrier mobility (mu). The proposed sensor architecture utilizes a Proportional-To-Absolute- Temperature (PTAT) current generation technique, coupled with a high-resolution Delta-Sigma Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) to translate analog thermal fluctuations into precise digital data. Experimental results indicate that by harnessing the exponential sensitivity of subthreshold leakage current, the design achieves high thermal resolution within a compact nanoscale footprint. The small architecture improves reliability and scalability for advanced semiconductor applications, and the suggested design facilitates simple integration with contemporary VLSI circuits, lowering total system complexity and manufacturing costs. Additionally, the small design improves scalability and dependability for sophisticated semiconductor applications. Unlike traditional thermistors or RTDs, this MOSFET-based approach offers the dual advantages of CMOS compatibility and ultra-low power consumption, making it an ideal candidate for on- chip thermal management in SoCs (Systems-on-Chip) and wearable medical diagnostics where space and energy budgets are critically constrained.

Keywords - MOSFET, Electronic circuit, Sensors, Temperature sensor, Threshold voltage, Carrier mobility, Drain current

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Tang Z, Fang Y, Yu XP, Shi Z, Lin L, Tan NN. A dynamic-biased resistor-based CMOS temperature sensor with a duty-cycle-modulated output. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs. 2020 Jun 1;67(9):1504-8.
2. Kobayashi A, Ikeda K, Ogawa Y, Kai H, Nishizawa M, Nakazato K, Niitsu K. Design and experimental verification of a 0.19 V 53 μW 65 nm CMOS integrated supply-sensing sensor with a supply-insensitive temperature sensor and an inductive-coupling transmitter for a self-powered bio-sensing system using a biofuel cell. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems. 2017 Oct 23;11(6):1313-23.
3. Law MK, Bermak A, Luong HC. A Sub-$\mu $ W Embedded CMOS Temperature Sensor for RFID Food Monitoring Application. IEEE journal of solid-state circuits. 2010 Jun 7;45(6):1246-55.
4. Krishna RS, Mal AK, Mahapatra R. Time-domain smart temperature sensor using current starved inverters and switched ring oscillator-based time-to-digital converter. Circuits, Systems, and Signal Processing. 2020 Apr;39(4):1751-69.
5. Wang A, Chandrakasan A. A 180-mV subthreshold FFT processor using a minimum energy design methodology. IEEE Journal of solid-state circuits. 2005 Jan 31;40(1):310- 9.
6. Yang C, Mason A. Process/temperature variation tolerant precision signal strength indicator. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers. 2008 May 2;55(3):722-9.
7. Giridhar B, Pinckney N, Sylvester D, Blaauw D. 13.7 A reconfigurable sense amplifier with auto-zero calibration and pre-amplification in 28nm CMOS. In2014 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference Digest of Technical Papers (ISSCC) 2014 Feb 9 (pp. 242-243). IEEE.
8. Gagnon-Turcotte G, Bilodeau G, Tsiakaka O, Gosselin B. Smart autonomous electro- optic platforms enabling innovative brain therapies. IEEE Circuits and Systems Magazine. 2020 Nov 12;20(4):28-46.
9. Udrea F, Santra S, Gardner JW. CMOS temperature sensors-concepts, state-of-the-art and prospects. In2008 International Semiconductor Conference 2008 Oct 13 (Vol. 1, pp. 31- 40). IEEE.
10. Sen S, Chauhan A, Raman A, Khosla M. CMOS Amalgamated MEMS/NEMS: Pioneering Technology for the Modern Semiconductor Cosmos and Future World. InMicro-and Nano-Systems in 21st-Century: Designs, Developments, Applications and Perspective 2025 Jul 16 (pp. 187-218). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.

In the landscape of modern microelectronics, the transition from discrete sensing components to fully integrated silicon solutions have become a necessity for the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) and high-performance computing. This design explores the utilization of the MOSFET as a primary temperature-sensing transducer, leveraging its inherent thermal sensitivity rather than treating heat as a parasitic interference. By operating the MOSFET in the subthreshold (weak inversion) or saturation regions, this study exploits the predictable, linear relationship between temperature and key parameters such as threshold voltage (Vth) and carrier mobility (mu). The proposed sensor architecture utilizes a Proportional-To-Absolute- Temperature (PTAT) current generation technique, coupled with a high-resolution Delta-Sigma Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) to translate analog thermal fluctuations into precise digital data. Experimental results indicate that by harnessing the exponential sensitivity of subthreshold leakage current, the design achieves high thermal resolution within a compact nanoscale footprint. The small architecture improves reliability and scalability for advanced semiconductor applications, and the suggested design facilitates simple integration with contemporary VLSI circuits, lowering total system complexity and manufacturing costs. Additionally, the small design improves scalability and dependability for sophisticated semiconductor applications. Unlike traditional thermistors or RTDs, this MOSFET-based approach offers the dual advantages of CMOS compatibility and ultra-low power consumption, making it an ideal candidate for on- chip thermal management in SoCs (Systems-on-Chip) and wearable medical diagnostics where space and energy budgets are critically constrained.

Keywords - MOSFET, Electronic circuit, Sensors, Temperature sensor, Threshold voltage, Carrier mobility, Drain current

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Tang Z, Fang Y, Yu XP, Shi Z, Lin L, Tan NN. A dynamic-biased resistor-based CMOS temperature sensor with a duty-cycle-modulated output. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs. 2020 Jun 1;67(9):1504-8.
2. Kobayashi A, Ikeda K, Ogawa Y, Kai H, Nishizawa M, Nakazato K, Niitsu K. Design and experimental verification of a 0.19 V 53 μW 65 nm CMOS integrated supply-sensing sensor with a supply-insensitive temperature sensor and an inductive-coupling transmitter for a self-powered bio-sensing system using a biofuel cell. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems. 2017 Oct 23;11(6):1313-23.
3. Law MK, Bermak A, Luong HC. A Sub-$\mu $ W Embedded CMOS Temperature Sensor for RFID Food Monitoring Application. IEEE journal of solid-state circuits. 2010 Jun 7;45(6):1246-55.
4. Krishna RS, Mal AK, Mahapatra R. Time-domain smart temperature sensor using current starved inverters and switched ring oscillator-based time-to-digital converter. Circuits, Systems, and Signal Processing. 2020 Apr;39(4):1751-69.
5. Wang A, Chandrakasan A. A 180-mV subthreshold FFT processor using a minimum energy design methodology. IEEE Journal of solid-state circuits. 2005 Jan 31;40(1):310- 9.
6. Yang C, Mason A. Process/temperature variation tolerant precision signal strength indicator. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers. 2008 May 2;55(3):722-9.
7. Giridhar B, Pinckney N, Sylvester D, Blaauw D. 13.7 A reconfigurable sense amplifier with auto-zero calibration and pre-amplification in 28nm CMOS. In2014 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference Digest of Technical Papers (ISSCC) 2014 Feb 9 (pp. 242-243). IEEE.
8. Gagnon-Turcotte G, Bilodeau G, Tsiakaka O, Gosselin B. Smart autonomous electro- optic platforms enabling innovative brain therapies. IEEE Circuits and Systems Magazine. 2020 Nov 12;20(4):28-46.
9. Udrea F, Santra S, Gardner JW. CMOS temperature sensors-concepts, state-of-the-art and prospects. In2008 International Semiconductor Conference 2008 Oct 13 (Vol. 1, pp. 31- 40). IEEE.
10. Sen S, Chauhan A, Raman A, Khosla M. CMOS Amalgamated MEMS/NEMS: Pioneering Technology for the Modern Semiconductor Cosmos and Future World. InMicro-and Nano-Systems in 21st-Century: Designs, Developments, Applications and Perspective 2025 Jul 16 (pp. 187-218). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.