29-year long-term stability of Cernox temperature sensors
The consistent accuracy is of utmost importance for sensors used over long periods of time. This is why it is of great interest to know the sensor performance after a certain number of quick cooling processes, known as thermal shock. One way to determine this is the long-term stability, which gives the expected precision after a number of thermal cycles. Lake Shore indicates values from 305 K to 77 K after 200 thermal shocks.
But what happens, if the sensor is used after years of storage at room temperature? The link below gives the answer published by Lake Shore. The results are particularly interesting for extraterrestrial applications, since sensors are normally produced years before they start their journey into space.
For this study, the very first Cernox sensors, which were produced 29 years ago, were periodically analyzed and recalibrated. Based on these measurements, their long-term stability was determined. With ±10 mK for temperatures below 10 K, the sensors still show an excellent accuracy. Their long-term stability is in the range of the calibration with ±6 mK at 10 K. Check out the study for further details on the measurements and results:
"Stability of Cernox® temperature sensors stored at room temperature over a 29-year period"
For questions on Cernox sensors and low-temperature measurements, please contact us.
