Thin film metal-alloy-based cermets for high field thermometry and small sample calorimetry

We report here on the magnetic-field dependence of the resistance and specific heat of a new class of thin film resistive thermometers: granular-metal-oxide ceramic composite (cermet) thin film thermometers that are sensitive over a wide temperature range, are low mass, have a rapid thermal response, and low magnetoresistance. These films are formed by cosputtering of the insulator silicon dioxide (SiO2) and specific oxidizable metal alloys in a reactive oxygen plus inert-argon-gas mixture. In previous work, we have investigated the magnetic and field dependence of cermets based on the chromium alloy based cermets (NiCr,SiO2) and (TiCr, SiO2 ). Here we contrast these results with those for a magnesium-alloy based cermet (MnNi, SiO2). We also discuss the modeling of the magnetic field dependence of the low temperature specific heat of (NiCr,SiO2) based thin films.