Packages and adapters for silicon diodes allow the sensor to be soldered in place, screwed on, bolted down, inserted into a hole, or inserted through a pressure seal in the form of a thermowell. Gold-plated copper bobbins are available in order to heat sink leads. Appendix C: Sensor Packaging and Installation discusses techniques for the correct installation of cryogenic temperature sensors. Special packaging is also available—consult Lake Shore for custom orders.
Additional information about Lake Shore sensors and packaging can be found in our Temperature Sensor Selection Guide
Each sensor package or adapter has been given a rating for four attributes or characteristics. These ratings give a general idea of how a package will perform and aid in the early decision making process, but are not a substitute for detailed specifications.
Some applications require more protection for your sensors (especially if they have to be immersed in liquid). Cryogenic temperature probes are great for those. Encased in a stainless steel thermowell fixture, the sensor can perform as designed, unaffected by high pressure and sealed to keep electrical components and wiring protected from fluids and other elements.
- Stainless steel-encased probes that provide high reliability sensor performance in a thermowell
- Sealed to keep electrical components and wiring protected from fluids
- Ideal for temperature measurements in fluid containers and tanks
- Hermetic feedthrough at the end
- Also beneficial for extended sensor reach in narrow spaces
- Available in standard lengths up to 28 in (0.7 m) long
- Custom lengths and configurations also available
Temperature probe product page
- Low thermal mass
- Non-magnetic package
- Insulated substrate for easy mounting to a flat surface
- Delicate 0.001 in gold lead probe to damage—extreme care required
Sensor material: Alumina base, with metallization: 0.1 µm of molybdenum, 0.2 µm gold
Leads: 2
Lead type: Gold
Lead polarity: Positive lead on left with chip up and leads towards user
Mass: 3 mg
Limitation: 1.4 K to 375 K
Sensor material: Sensing element is mounted to a platinum disk and covered with a dome of Stycast® 2850 epoxy
Leads: 2
Lead type: Platinum ribbon with tinned 60/40 SnPb solder
Lead polarity: Positive lead is right-hand ribbon with platinum disk down and leads towards user
Mass: 23 mg
Sensor material: Silicon chip with aluminum metallization on chip contacts
Leads: None
Lead polarity: Positive connection made through bottom of chip; negative connection made on base pad on top of chip
Mass: 72.7 µg
- Spring-loaded clamp holds standard SD sensor in contact with the surface of the sample and allows the sensor to be easily changed or replaced
- Extra clamps are available for frequent relocation of the sensor
- 4-40 stainless steel screw has a formed shoulder, thus applying correct pressure to the clamp
Packaging material, leads, and lead material:See DT-SD package
Adapter material: Gold-plated copper (nickel strike); spring is ASTM A313 302 Austenitic steel
Mass: 1.8 g (including SD package and clamp)
Limitation: The useful upper temperature limit of this configuration is 500 K
- Convenient screw-in package formed by indium soldering a basic SD configuration into a recess in one flat of a hexagonal screw head
- The head terminates in a standard #6-32 UNC threaded stud allowing the sensor to be threaded into a mounting hole in the sample
- Note: A light coating of vacuum grease on the threads further enhances the thermal contact between the sensor package and the sample.
Packaging material, leads, and lead material:See DT-SD package
Adapter material: Gold-plated copper #6-32 UNC screw head
Mass: 1.5 g (including SD package and screw head)
Limitation: Indium solder limits the upper useful temperature of this configuration to 420 K
- Convenient screw-in package formed by indium soldering a basic SD configuration into a recess in a slot in the center of the hexagonal head
- The head terminates in a a 3 mm × 0.5 metric threaded stud allowing the sensor to be screwed into a mounting hole in the sample
- Note: A light coating of vacuum grease on the threads further enhances the thermal contact between the sensor package and the sample.
Packaging material, leads, and lead material:See DT-SD package
Adapter material: Gold-plated copper metric threaded screw head 3 mm × 0.5 metric
Mass: 1.5 g (including SD package and screw head)
Limitation: Indium solder limits the upper useful temperature of this configuration to 420 K
- Similar to the DI package, except the bobbin is larger in diameter with a centered mounting hole
- Relatively large-sized, robust
Packaging material: See DT-SD package
Adapter material: Gold-plated copper bobbin (SD indium-soldered to adapter and wrapped in Stycast® epoxy)
Leads: Two 0.91 m (36 in), 30 AWG color-coded Teflon®-coated leads
Lead material: Stranded copper
Mass: 4.3 g (Including SD package and bobbin, excluding leads)
Limitation: The epoxy limits the upper useful temperature of this configuration to 400 K
- With an SD packaged sensor mounted on a slightly-more-than half-rounded cylinder, this package is designed to be inserted into a 3.2 mm (1/8 in) diameter hole
Packaging material, leads, and lead material:See DT-SD package
Mass: 0.2 g (Including SD package and disk)
Limitation: Indium solder limits the upper useful temperature of this configuration to 420 K
- SD package is soldered to a mounting block and the leads are thermally anchored (without epoxy) to the block via a beryllium oxide insert
- Since leads can be a significant heat path to the sensing element and can lead to measurement errors when incorrectly anchored, this configuration helps maintain the leads at the same temperature as the sensor
- Can be mounted to any flat surface with a 4-40 or M3 screw
Packaging material: Gold-plated bolt-on copper block with leads thermally anchored to block (SD indium-soldered to adapter)
Leads and lead material: See DT-SD package
Mass: 1.5 g (including SD package and screw head)
Limitation: Indium solder limits the upper useful temperature of this configuration to 420 K
- 2-lead version of the CU
- Less wires to run back to instrumentation, but reduced measurement accuracy due to voltage offset
Packaging material: See DT-SD package
Adapter material: Gold-plated copper bobbin (SD indium-soldered to adapter and wrapped in Stycast® epoxy)
Leads: 0.91 m (36 in), 36 AWG, color-coded, 2-lead ribbon cable with Formvar insulation
Lead material: Phosphor bronze alloy
Mass: 1.1 g (including SD package and bobbin, excluding leads)
Limitation: The Formvar wire insulation limits the upper useful temperature of this configuration to 378 K)
- SD packaged sensor indium-soldered into a flat copper bobbin with the leads thermally anchored to that same bobbin
- HT (high temperature) version is soldered using high temperature (90% Pb, 10% Sn) solder
- Can be mounted to any flat surface with a 4-40 or M3 screw
Packaging material: See DT-SD package
Adapter material: Gold-plated copper bobbin (SD indium-soldered to adapter and wrapped in Stycast® epoxy); high temperature CU uses high temperature (90% Pb,10% Sn) solder 500 K
Leads: Four 0.91 m (36 in), 36 AWG, color-coded Quad Lead™ leads
Lead material: Phosphor bronze alloy
Mass: 1.1 g (including SD package and bobbin, excluding leads)
Limitation: The epoxy limits the upper useful temperature of this configuration to 420 K (high temperature CU-HT upper temperature limit with silicon diodes is 500 K )
- Small package designed primarily for bonding or clamping to a flat surface
- Indium, silver epoxy, 2850 Stycast® epoxy, or a CO clamp may be used for mounting
Packaging material: Sapphire base with alumina body and lid.
Molybdenum/manganese metallization on base and lid top with nickel and gold plating. Gold tin solder as hermetic lid seal.
Leads: 2
Lead material: Brazed Kovar
Mass: 30 mg
Limitation: The useful upper temperature limit of this configuration is 500 K