Pyroelectric Ceramics and Thin Films: Characterization, Properties and Selection

Pyroelectric devices have become established as one of the most important technologies for the low cost detection of long wavelength infra-red radiation, for a host of applications ranging from intruder sensing, pollution control and people monitoring to uncooled thermal imaging. There are a large number of pyroelectric materials and methods for their characterization and the criteria for their selection in any particular application is an important issue. This paper reviews the physics of pyroelectric detectors from the point-of-view of the selection of the pyroelectric material for a given application and then discusses the methods for characterising those properties. Finally, it discusses and compares the properties of a range of pyroelectric ceramics and thin films.