Temperature Sensors - NTC Thermistors

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
NB20K00103KBA Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 10KOHM 3630K 1206	745
NB20K00103MBA Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 10KOHM 3630K 1206	0
NC20K00103JBA Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 10KOHM 3630K 1206	8499
ND06P00103K-- Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 10KOHM 4220K DISC	0
NB20N50104JBA Elco (AVX)	THERM NTC 100KOHM 4160K 1206	5205
NB12MC0151JBB Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 150OHM 3910K 0805	0
ND03L00332K-- Elco (AVX)	THERM NTC 3.3KOHM 3790K DISC	0
NC20K00103KBA Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 10KOHM 3630K 1206	157
ND06Q00153K-- Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 15KOHM 4300K DISC	0
ND03Q00683K-- Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 68KOHM 4300K DISC	0
NB21K00103JBB Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 10KOHM 3630K 0603	3800
NC20MC0102KBA Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 1KOHM 3910K 1206	0
NJ28MA0302H-- Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 3KOHM 3960K DISC	0
NB20L00223JBA Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 22KOHM 3790K 1206	0
NB12K00103KBB Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 10KOHM 3630K 0805	6174
NC20KC0180MBA Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 18OHM 3470K 1206	0
ND03Q00473J-- Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 47KOHM 4300K DISC	0
NB20J00472JBA Elco (AVX)	THERM NTC 4.7KOHM 3480K 1206	5900
ND03N00103K-- Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 10KOHM 4080K DISC	0
NC20R00105KBA Elco (AVX)	THERMISTOR NTC 1MOHM 4400K 1206	0

Temperature Sensors - NTC Thermistors

1. Overview

NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistors are temperature-sensitive resistors whose resistance decreases with increasing temperature. This semiconductor ceramic device utilizes metal oxide materials to achieve precise temperature measurement and control. As a fundamental component in thermal management systems, NTC thermistors play critical roles in modern electronics, automotive engineering, and industrial automation due to their high sensitivity ( : 2000-5000 K) and accuracy ( 0.1 C to 5 C).

2. Major Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Characteristics	Application Examples
Bead Thermistors	Small size ( 0.5-5mm), fast response (<50ms), glass-encapsulated	Medical probes, liquid temperature monitoring
Disk Thermistors	Higher power rating, epoxy-coated, axial leads	Power supply thermal protection, HVAC systems
Chip Thermistors	SMD packaging, low profile (0.6-3.2mm), RoHS compliant	Smartphone thermal management, wearable devices
Glass-Encapsulated	Hermetic seal, corrosion resistance, operating temp: -50 C to +300 C	Automotive battery monitoring, aerospace sensors

3. Structure and Composition

Typical NTC thermistor construction includes:

Semiconductive ceramic core (Mn-Ni-Co-Ox system)
Platinum alloy electrode layers (sintered or plated)
Protective epoxy/glass encapsulation (IP67 rated)
Lead wires (Cu/Ni alloy, 26-34 AWG)

Manufacturing process involves powder synthesis at 1500 C, isostatic pressing, and controlled atmosphere sintering to achieve desired R-T characteristics.

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Description	Significance
Rated Resistance (R25)	Resistance at 25 C (100 -10M range)	System compatibility, signal conditioning design
B-Value (K)	Material constant (2000-5000K)	Determines sensitivity across operating range
Tolerance	Resistance deviation ( 1% to 15%)	Affects measurement accuracy
Operating Temp Range	-100 C to +600 C (varies by type)	Environmental suitability
Dissipation Factor	mW/ C (self-heating coefficient)	Power consumption and stability considerations

5. Application Fields

Primary industries utilizing NTC thermistors:

Industrial: Process control ( 0.5 C accuracy), motor protection
Consumer Electronics: Battery management (Li-ion charging), smart thermostats
Medical: Patient monitoring (Class F accuracy), lab equipment
Automotive: Battery pack thermal monitoring (ISO 14001 compliance), ECU protection

Notable application example: Tesla Model S battery management system uses 48-channel NTC array for cell temperature monitoring ( 1 C accuracy).

6. Leading Manufacturers and Products

Manufacturer	Key Products	Technical Highlights
Murata Electronics	NXFT Series	Automotive-grade (AEC-Q200), 0.5 C accuracy, -50 C to +150 C range
TE Connectivity	NTCLE Series	Medical certification (IEC 60601), 3.2mm chip format
Vishay Beyschlag	NTCAl Series	Aluminum housing, 50W power handling, IP68 rating

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations for NTC thermistor selection:

Resistance-Temperature curve matching application requirements
Environmental factors: humidity (IP rating), vibration (automotive shock specs)
Electrical parameters: operating current (self-heating effects)
Form factor constraints (SMD vs through-hole)
Calibration requirements (standard vs customized R-T tables)

Recommend verifying long-term stability (aging rate <0.2%/year) and RoHS compliance for production applications.

8. Industry Trends

Emerging developments include:

Micro-NTC fabrication (MEMS-based, <0.1mm chips)
High-temperature stability improvements (up to 600 C operation)
Integration with wireless sensor networks (Zigbee/LoRa compatibility)
AI-enhanced linearization algorithms (reducing external circuit complexity)

Market growth projected at 8.2% CAGR through 2027 driven by EV battery management demands.