M AN687
Precision Temperature-Sensing With RTD Circuits
Author:
Bonnie C. Baker
Microchip Technology Inc.
INTRODUCTION
The most widely measured phenomena in the process
control  environment  is  temperature.  Common  ele-
ments,  such  as  Resistance  Temperature  Detectors
(RTDs), thermistors, thermocouples or diodes are used
to sense absolute temperatures, as well as changes in
temperature. For an overview and comparison of these
sensors,  refer  to  Microchip’s  AN679,  “Temperature-
Sensing Technologies”, DS00679. 
Of these technologies, the platinum RTD temperature-
sensing element is the most accurate and stable over
time and temperature. RTD element technologies are
constantly improving, further enhancing the quality of
the  temperature  measurement  (see  Figure 1).  Typi-
cally, a data acquisition system conditions the analog
signal  from  the  RTD  sensor,  making  the  analog
translation  of  the  temperature  usable  in  the  digital
domain.
This application note focuses on circuit solutions that
use  platinum  RTDs  in  their  design.  Initially,  the  RTD
temperature-sensing element will be compared to the
negative  temperature  coefficient  (NTC)  thermistor,
which is also a resistive temperature-sensing element.
In this forum, the linearity of the RTD will be presented
along  with  calibration  formulas  that  can  be  used  to
improve  the off-the-shelf linearity of the element. For
additional information  concerning  the thermistor tem-
perature  sensor,  refer  to  Microchip’s  AN685,  “Ther-
mistors 
in  Single  Supply  Temperature  Sensing
Circuits”,  DS00685.  Finally,  the  signal-conditioning
path 
the  RTD  system  will  be  covered  with
application circuits from sensor to microcontroller.
for 
Precision Current Source <1 mA
VOUT
RTD, most popular element
is made using platinum,
typically 100Ω @ 0°C
FIGURE 1: Unlike thermistors, RTD 
temperature-sensing elements require current 
excitation.
RTD OVERVIEW
The acronym  “RTD” is derived from the term “Resis-
tance Temperature Detector”. The most stable, linear
and repeatable  RTD  is made of platinum metal.  The
temperature coefficient of the RTD element is positive.
This is in contrast to the NTC thermistor, which has a
negative temperature coefficient, as is shown graphi-
cally in Figure 2. An approximation of the platinum RTD
resistance change over temperature can be calculated
by using the constant 0.00385Ω/Ω/°C. This constant is
easily used to calculate the absolute resistance of the
RTD at temperature.
EQUATION
RTD T(
0.00385Ω Ω⁄
°C⁄
=
)
RTD0 T RTD0
+
×
×
where:
RTD(T) is the resistance value of the RTD element at
temperature (Celsius),
RTD0 is the specified resistance of the RTD element
at 0°C and,
T  is  the  temperature  environment  that  the  RTD  is
placed (Celsius).
 2003 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS00687B-page 1
AN687
100
10
1
0.1
0.01
0.001
)
Ω
(
 
e
c
n
a
t
s
s
e
R
i
Thermistor
RTD
0.0001
-100 50
0
50
100 150 200 250 300
Temperature (°C)
The temperature vs. resis-
FIGURE 2:
tance characteristics of the RTD sensing element 
is considerably different than the thermistor sen-
sor element. The RTD sensing element has a 
positive temperature coefficient and is 
considerably more linear.
The  RTD  element  resistance  is  extremely  low  when
compared  to  the  resistance  of  a  NTC  thermistor
element,  which  ranges  up  to  1 MΩ  at  25°C.  Typical
specified 0°C values for RTDs are 50, 100, 200, 500,
1000 or 2000Ω. Of these options, the 100Ω platinum
RTD  is  the  most  stable  over  time  and  linear  over
temperature.
If the RTD element is excited with a current reference
at a level that does not create an error due to self-heat-
ing, the accuracy can be ±4.3°C over its entire temper-
ature range of -200°C to 800°C. If a higher accuracy
temperature measurement is required, the linearity for-
mula  below  (Calendar-Van  Dusen  Equation)  can  be
used in a calculation in the controller engine or be used
to generate a look-up table.
RTD T(
+
where:
RTD(T) is the resistance of the RTD element at tem-
perature,
RTD0 is the specified resistance of the RTD element
at 0°C,
T is the temperature that is applied to the RTD ele-
ment (Celsius) and,
A, B,  and  C are constants derived  from resistance
measurements at 0°C, 100°C and 260°C.
RTD0 1 AT BT2
100CT3 CT4
)
=
+
–
+
The linearity performance of a typical RTD is shown in
Figure 3.
 
)
C
°
±
(
 
r
o
r
r
E
 
e
r
u
t
a
r
e
p
m
e
T
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
-200-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Temperature (°C)
The linearity error of the 
FIGURE 3:
platinum RTD temperature sensor is small when 
compared to other sensors, such as the 
thermocouple and thermistor.
The  RTD  element requires  a current excitation. If the
magnitude of the current source is too high, the element
will dissipate power and start to self-heat. Consequently,
care should be taken to insure that ≤ 1 mA of current is
used to excite the RTD element.
The  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  the  RTD
temperature  sensing  element 
in
Table 1.
is  summarized 
TABLE 1:
RTD TEMPERATURE SENSING 
ELEMENT ADVANTAGES AND 
DISADVANTAGES
Advantages
Disadvantages
Very Accurate and Stable Expensive Solution
Fairly Linear to ±4%°C
Requires Current
Excitation
Danger of Self-Heating
Low Resistive Element
Good Repeatability
RTD CURRENT EXCITATION CIRCUIT
For best linearity, the RTD sensing element requires a
stable  current  reference  for  excitation.  This  can  be
implemented  in  a  number  of  ways,  one  of  which  is
shown in Figure 4. In this circuit, a voltage reference,
along  with  two  operational  amplifiers,  are  used  to
generate a floating 1 mA current source.
DS00687B-page 2
 2003 Microchip Technology Inc.
R2
+
−
1 mA
RREF = 2.5 kΩ
 
1/2
−
MCP602
+
A2
RW
RW
RW
R1
1/2
−
MCP602
+
A1
R3
R4
VREF
=2.5V
R1=R2=R3=R4=25kΩ
A current source for the RTD 
FIGURE 4:
element can be constructed in a single-supply 
environment from two operational amplifiers and 
a precision voltage reference.
This is accomplished by applying a 2.5V precision volt-
age reference to R4 of the circuit. Since R4 is equal to
R3,  and  the  non-inverting  input  to  A1  is  high-imped-
ance,  the  voltage  drop  across  these  two  resistors  is
equal. The voltage between R3 and R4 is applied to the
non-inverting  input  of  A1.  That  voltage  is  gained  by
(1 + R2/R1) to the output of the amplifier and the top of
the reference resistor, RREF. If R1 = R2, the voltage at
the output of A1 is equal to:
)
+(
1 R2/R1
(
×
2
–
(
×
VREF VR4
EQUATION
=
VOUTA1
=
VOUTA1
where:
VOUTA1 is the voltage at the output of A1 and
VR4 is the voltage drop across R4.
VREF VR4
)
–
)
The voltage at the output of A2 is equal to:
EQUATION
VOUTA1
 
=
VREF VR4
–
–
VR3
This same voltage appears at the inverting input of A2
and across to the non-inverting input of A2.
AN687
Solving these equations, the voltage drop across the
reference resistor, RREF, is equal to:
(
–
–
=
=
=
VREF VR4
VOUTA1 VOUTA2
×
)
(
2
–
VREF
EQUATION
VRREF
VRREF
VRREF
where:
VRREF  is  the  voltage  across  the  reference  resistor,
RREF  and,
VR3 is the voltage drop across R3 
VREF VR4
VR3
–
–
)
The current through RREF is equal to:
EQUATION
IRTD
=
VREF / RREF
This circuit generates a current source that is ratio met-
ric to the voltage  reference. The same voltage refer-
ence can be used in other portions of the circuit, such
as the analog-to-digital (A/D) converter reference.
Absolute errors in the circuit will occur as a consequence
of the absolute voltage of the reference, the initial offset
voltages of the operational amplifiers, the output swing
of A1, mismatches between the resistors, the absolute
resistance value of RREF and the RTD element. Errors
due to temperature changes in the circuit will occur as a
consequence of the temperature drift of the same ele-
ments listed above. The primary error sources over tem-
perature  are  the  voltage  reference,  offset  drift  of  the
operational amplifiers and the RTD element.
RTD SIGNAL-CONDITIONING PATH
Changes in resistance of the RTD element over tem-
perature are usually digitized through an A/D conver-
sion,  as  shown  in  Figure 5.  The  current  excitation
circuit, shown in Figure 4, is used to excite the RTD
element. With this style of excitation, the magnitude of
the  current source  can be  tuned  to  1 mA  or less by
adjusting RREF. The voltage drop across the RTD ele-
ment is sensed by A3, then gained and filtered by A4.
With  this  circuit,  a  3-wire  RTD  element  is  selected.
This  configuration  minimizes  errors  due  to  wire
resistance and wire resistance drift over temperature.
 2003 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS00687B-page 3
AN687
R
A1
1/4
−
MCP602
+
R
Current
Generator
Circuit
1 mA
RREF = 2.5 kΩ
VREF = 2.5V
1/4
A2
−
MCP602
+
R1=100 kΩ
R
R
R2 = 100 kΩ
1/4
A3
−
MCP604
+
R3
R4
C4
R5
C3
1/4
A4
+
MCP604
−
R6
RW1
RW2
RW2
VIN
,
)
D
T
R
0
0
1
T
P
 
C
°
0
@
Ω
0
0
1
(
 
8
0
5
C
2
1
C
P
I
VREF
+IN
–IN
VSS
MCP3201
FIGURE 5:
 This circuit uses a RTD temperature-sensitive element to measure temperatures from 
-200°C to 600°C. The current generator circuit from Figure 4 excites the sensor. An operational amplifier 
(A3) is used to zero wire resistance error. A fourth amplifier (A4) is used to gain the signal and filter possible 
alias interference. A 12-bit converter (MCP3201) converts the voltage across the RTD to digital code for the 
8-pin controller (PIC12C508).
DS00687B-page 4
 2003 Microchip Technology Inc.
AN687
Technologies”,
“Temperature  Sensing 
REFERENCES 
AN679, 
DS00679, Baker, Bonnie, Microchip Technology Inc.
“Practical  Temperature  Measurements”,  OMEGA
CATALOG, pg Z-11
AN684,  “Single-Supply  Temperature  Sensing  with
Thermocouples”, DS00684, Baker, Bonnie, Microchip
Technology Inc.
AN682, “Using Operational Amplifiers for Analog Gain
in Embedded System Design”, DS00682, Baker, Bon-
nie, Microchip Technology Inc.
AN685,  “Thermistors  in  Single-Supply  Temperature-
Sensing Circuits”, DS00685, Baker, Bonnie, Microchip
Technology Inc. 
“Evaluating Thin Film RTD Stability”, SENSORS, Hyde,
Darrell, OCT. 1997, pg 79
“Refresher  on  Resistance  Temperature  Devices”,
Madden, J.R., SENSORS, Sept., 1997, pg 66
“Producing  Higher  Accuracy  From  SPRTs  (Standard
Platinum Resistance Thermometer)”, MEASUREMENT
& CONTROL, Li, Xumo, June, 1996, pg118
In this circuit, the RTD element equals 100Ω at 0°C. If
the  RTD  is  used  to  sense  temperature  over  its  entire
range of -200°C to 600°C, the range of resistance pro-
duced  by  the  RTD  would  be  nominally  23Ω  to  331Ω.
Since the resistance range is relatively low, wire resis-
tance and wire resistance change over temperature can
skew  the  measurement  of  the  RTD  element.  Conse-
quently, a 3-wire RTD device is used to reduce these
errors.
The  errors  contributed  by  the  wire  resistances,  RW1
and RW3, are subtracted from the circuit with A3, the
operational  amplifier  circuit.  In  this  configuration,  R1
and R2 are equal and are relatively high. The value of
R3  is  selected  to  ensure  that  the  leakage  currents
through the resistor do not introduce errors to the cur-
rent in the RTD element. The transfer function of this
portion of the circuit is:
(
)
VIN Vw1
–
) 1 R2/ R1
+(
) VIN R2/R1
–
EQUATION
(
VOUTA3
=
where:
VIN = VW1+VRTD+VW3,
VWx is the voltage drop across the wires to and from
the RTD and
VOUTA3 is the voltage at the output of A3.
If it is assumed that 
R1 = R2 and RW1 = RW3 
the transfer function above reduces to:
VOUTA3 = VRTD
The voltage signal at the output of A3 is filtered with a
2nd order, low pass filter created with A4, R3, C3, R4 and
C4. This same signal is also gained by the resistors R5
and R6.
CONCLUSION
Although the RTD requires more circuitry in the signal-
conditioning path than the thermistor or the silicon tem-
perature sensor, it ultimately provides a high-precision,
relatively linear result over a wider temperature range.
If further linearization is performed in the controller, the
RTD circuit can achieve ±0.01°C accuracy. 
 2003 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS00687B-page 5
AN687
NOTES:
DS00687B-page 6
 2003 Microchip Technology Inc.
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