Thin-film comb thermal converter: influence of shunt effect of thermopile on high-frequency current distribution

Abstract

Thin-film comb thermal converters are widely used for obtaining mean square values of alternating current or voltage and for measuring a power of electrical signals having various forms. At the present time reliable data about the operation of these thermal converters on high-frequencies are absent. In this paper the analytical model allowing one to determine the influence of the shunt effect of the thermopile on the high frequency current distribution in the structure of the thin-film comb thermal converter is presented. The structure of the thin-film comb thermal converter under consideration is shown. In this structure hot thermojunctions of the thermopile are placed near the heater. Such disposition of the hot thermojunctions permits the value of the operation frequency of the thermal converter to be increased to 500 to 600 MHz.