Temperature Measurement for High-Temperature Micro-Deformation Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high-temperature microdeformation units face challenges in accurately measuring sample temperatures due to the small region of interest and undesired alterations of the microstructure caused by thermocouples, leading to errors of 5-40% and prolonged stabilization times, especially at higher temperatures and with different materials.
Innovation Solution
A process using two or more identical samples, where one acts as a mirror sample and the other as a working sample, arranged symmetrically around a localized heat source, allowing simultaneous heating and temperature measurement of the mirror sample to estimate the working sample's temperature with high reliability and short stabilization times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a thermocouple is mounted directly on the sample surface to measure temperature, then temperature measurement is enabled, but the microstructure of the material is undesiredly altered and the region of interest is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dummy sample that is identical to the real sample in all aspects except that it has a thermocouple mounted on it. The dummy sample serves as a thermal replica, copying the thermal behavior of the real sample without the harmful thermocouple-surface contact. This allows temperature measurement indirectly through thermal coupling while preserving the integrity of the actual sample's microstructure.
2Measurement precision
If temperature matching approaches like thermal displacement drift and indenter temperature shift measurements are used, then temperature estimation is possible, but errors of 5-40% occur especially at higher working temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a thermal intermediary system consisting of a substrate and a thermal coupling layer that mediates between the thermocouple on the dummy sample and the real sample. This intermediary thermal path ensures accurate heat transfer and temperature equilibration between the two samples, eliminating the need for error-prone calculation-based temperature matching approaches and providing direct, reliable temperature measurement.
3Measurement precision
If calibration approaches like indenting the thermocouples are used, then contact temperature estimation improves, but the approach is not reliable at higher temperatures and with different materials of tips and samples
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal measurement system where the dummy sample with mounted thermocouple serves as a general-purpose temperature sensing platform. By using identical substrate and thermal coupling layer materials for both dummy and real samples, the system achieves material-agnostic temperature measurement capability that works reliably across different sample materials and temperature ranges without requiring material-specific calibration.
4Measurement precision
If current temperature matching and thermal stabilization approaches are used, then temperature measurement is achieved, but stabilization times are in the order of tens of hours to days
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the temperature measurement function with the sample itself by using an identical dummy sample that shares the same substrate and thermal coupling layer. This unified thermal system ensures that the dummy sample and real sample reach thermal equilibrium simultaneously and rapidly, reducing stabilization time from tens of hours to minutes while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate temperature estimation of samples with minimal error (±2.5°C) and rapid thermal stabilization (less than 10 minutes) across a broad temperature range, from ambient to 600°C, suitable for micromechanical experiments like micro-fracture mechanics and micro-bending, while avoiding damage to micron-sized features.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one mirror sample and the at least one working sample are heated simultaneously to the same temperature
Implementation Method 2
a localized heat source (6)... the heat source (6) is symmetrically centered between the at least one mirror sample and the at least one working sample
Data Source
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AI summary
Process for the temperature detection of a sample the temperature of which cannot be measured directly in a device for measuring physical parameters other than the temperature using two or more identical samples that is characterized in that the samples are arranged in the device that they have the same surrounding, the samples are heated simultaneously to the same temperature,the temperature of one of the sample is measured while physical experiments are carried out at the other sample(s) and a device for carrying out the process.