Thermistors are temperature-sensing elements made of semiconductor material that has been sintered in order to display large changes in resistance in proportion to small changes in temperature.
This resistance can be measured by using a small and measured direct current, or dc, passed through the thermistor in order to measure the voltage drop produced.
The ntc thermistor is a sensitive component whose resistance decreases with increasing temperature. Its functions are: temperature measurement, temperature control, temperature compensation, etc. Also used for liquid sensing
These solid state temperature sensors actually act like electrical resistors that are temperature sensitive. That is where the name, a clear combination of the words thermal and resistor, comes from. Ametherm specializes in NTC, or negative temperature coefficient thermistors.
In general, thermistors are composed of sintered ceramics consisting of highly sensitive material with consistently reproducible properties of resistance versus temperature.
The demand for thermistors has also increased in the automotive industry, especially, in applications such as powertrain, safety and controls and alternative fuel vehicles due to the change in government standards and demand patterns from the end users. A total of 30 thermistors are used in an automotive, which include 20 negative temperature coefficient (NTCs) and 5 positive temperature coefficient (PTCs) sensors. Thermistors are currently a steady growing market and is expected to continue the same trend in coming years as well.”
