Integrated sensors designed to operate under extreme conditions

Engineers at Case Western Reserve University have designed and fabricated integrated amplifier circuits that operate under temperatures of up to 600 degrees Celsius, which was previously impossible. The silicon carbide amplifiers have applications in both aerospace and energy industries. The devices can take the heat of collecting data inside of nuclear reactors and rocket engines. These integrated circuits are constructed on a wide-band-gap semiconductor. Most semi-conductors are made out of silicon, but silicon will not operate above 300 degrees Celsius. That temperature range still holds important applications. The team's solution was to use silicon carbide because at high temperatures, the material begins to act as a semiconductor.