What is a thermistor?

A thermistor is a temperature-sensing element composed of sintered semiconductor material which exhibits a large change in resistance proportional to a small change in temperature. Thermistors usually have negative temperature coefficients (NTC) which means the resistance of the thermistor decreases as the temperature increases.

Benefits of Using a Thermistor

Thermistor Accuracy

Thermistors are one of the most accurate types of temperature sensors. OMEGA thermistors have an accuracy of ±0.1°C or ±0.2°C depending on the particular thermistor model. However thermistors are fairly limited in their temperature range, working only over a nominal range of 0°C to 100°C

Thermistor Stability

Finished thermistors are chemically stable and not significantly affected by aging.

Thermistor Technical Links

Thermistor Elements

The thermistor element is the simplest form of thermistor. Because of their compact size, thermistor elements are commonly used when space is very limited. OMEGA offers a wide variety of thermistor elements which vary not only in form factor but also in their resistance versus temperature characteristics. Since thermistors are non-linear, the instrument used to read the temperature must linearise the reading.
 

Linear Response Thermistor Elements

For applications requiring thermistors with linear response to temperature change, OMEGA offers linear components. These unique devices consist of a thermistor composite for temperature sensing and an external resistor composite for linearising.

Thermistor Probes

The standalone thermistor element is relatively fragile and can not be placed in a rugged environment. OMEGA offers thermistor probes which are thermistor elements embedded in metal tubes. Thermistor probes are much more suitable for industrial environments than thermistor elements.