Method of thermally coupling a flow tube or like component to a thermal sensor and sensor systems formed thereby

A method of thermally coupling a component to a thermal sensor comprising:

• applying a bonding material to the thermal sensor, wherein said thermal sensor comprises a microstructure having a plurality of heat sensing/heating elements disposed on the surface of said microstructure,
• affixing a plurality of separate thermally conductive bands to the outer surface of said component, said thermally conductive bands being separated from one another, substantially concentric with said component, and formed for alignment with the corresponding heat sensing/heating elements disposed on said microstructure surface,
• aligning said separated thermally conductive bands on said component to the corresponding heat sensing/heating elements, and
• bonding said separated thermally conductive bands affixed to said component to said heat sensing/heating elements such that said thermally conductive bands are thermally coupled to said corresponding heat sensing/heating elements.