A new kind of thermocouple made of p-type and n-type semi-conductive oxides with giant thermoelectric voltage for high temperature sensing

Abstract

A new kind of thermocouple consisting of n-type and p-type semi-conductive oxides with a giant thermoelectric voltage is reported. The thermocouple was fabricated from n-type La_0.8Sr_0.2CrO₃ and p-type In₂O₃ and it exhibits a high thermoelectric voltage of 410.3 mV at 1270 °C, which is the highest value reported for any type of thermocouples to date. This achievement challenges the long-established material selection principles for thermocouples and opens a new way for designing highly sensitive thermal sensors. The thermocouple developed in this work has great potential for practical applications in high temperature sensing in harsh environments.