Design and characterization of a radioluminescent temperature sensor Original Research Article

An environmentally sensitive radioluminescent light source is evaluated for use in remote optical-sensing applications. The sensor is composed of an α-particle-emitting radioisotope coupled with a temperature-sensitive phosphor. Radioluminescent emission intensity is monitored as a function of temperature. Due to the high long-term stability of the radioluminescent source, simple data acquisition systems can be employed. Temperature resolution is found to be proportional to integration time, as would be suggested by counting statistics. Resolution of less than 2°C is possible with this sensor. Additionally, temperature sensitivity is found to be equal to or better than that of other optical temperature sensors. The low radioisotope activity of this sensor makes its commercial use feasible.