Advancements in implantable temperature sensors: Materials, mechanisms, and biological applications

Abstract Implantable temperature sensors are revolutionizing physiological monitoring and playing a crucial role in diagnostics, therapeutics, and life sciences research. This review classifies the materials used in these sensors into three categories: metal-based, inorganic semiconductor, and organic semiconductor materials. Metal-based materials are widely used in medical and industrial applications due to their linearity, stability, and reliability. Inorganic semiconductors provide rapid response times and high miniaturization potential, making them promising for biomedical and environmental monitoring. Organic semiconductors offer high sensitivity and ease of processing, enabling the development of flexible and stretchable sensors. This review analyzes recent studies for each material type, covering design principles, performance characteristics, and applications, highlighting key advantages and challenges regarding miniaturization, sensitivity, response time, and biocompatibility. Furthermore, critical performance parameters of implantable temperature sensors based on different material types are summarized, providing valuable references for future sensor design and optimization. The future development of implantable temperature sensors is discussed, focusing on improving biocompatibility, long-term stability, and multifunctional integration. These advancements are expected to expand the application potential of implantable sensors in telemedicine and dynamic physiological monitoring.