Flexible ZrNxOy thin-film cryogenic temperature sensor with low magnetoresistance for high-field applications

Accurate and rapid temperature measurement in cryogenic, high-magnetic-field environments is critical for superconducting magnet applications where transient thermal events can jeopardize operational stability. Conventional rigid sensors struggle to conform to complex geometries, leading to measurement inaccuracies, which presents a significant challenge. This work introduces a flexible cryogenic temperature sensor based on ZrN_xO_y thin films deposited via sputtering on polyimide substrates with interdigitated gold electrodes. The sensor operates over a wide temperature range (2 − 300 K), achieving a maximum dimensionless sensitivity of 1.65 and a rapid thermal response time of 0.035 s under liquid nitrogen shock. Notably, within a 9 T magnetic field at cryogenic temperatures, the maximum temperature deviation was −0.92%, demonstrating significant potential for reducing strong magnetic field interference in monitoring transient temperature changes inside superconducting magnets.