A wireless W-band 3D-printed temperature sensor based on a three-dimensional photonic crystal operating beyond 1000 ∘C

Abstract

In addressing sensing in harsh and dynamic environments, there are no available millimeter-wave chipless and wireless sensors capable of continuous operation at extremely high temperatures. Here we present a fully dielectric wireless temperature sensor capable of operating beyond 1000 ∘C. The sensor uses high-Q cavities embedded within a three-dimensional photonic crystal resonating at 83.5 GHz and 85.5 GHz, and a flattened Luneburg lens enhances its readout range. The sensor is additively manufactured using Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing in Alumina (Al2O3). Despite the clutter, its frequency-coded response remains detectable from outside the furnace at 50 cm and at temperatures up to 1200 ∘C. It is observed that the resonance frequencies shift with temperature. This shift is linked to a change in the dielectric properties of Al2O3, which are estimated up to 1200 ∘C and show good agreement with literature values. The sensor is thus highly suitable for millimeter-wave applications in dynamic, cluttered, and high-temperature environments. Jesús Sánchez-Pastor and colleagues demonstrate a ceramic W-band wireless temperature sensor leveraging high-Q cavities within a three-dimensional photonic crystal. The sensor is additively manufactured in Alumina and can continuously operate at extreme temperatures above 1000 ∘C with potential applications in dynamic, cluttered, and high-temperature environments.