NIST improves pyroelectric optical detector

17 Jun 2002

Researchers in NIST's Optoelectronics Division have developed an improved pyroelectric detector, which, in turn, may improve the performance of productscontaining these sensors. Such products include burglar alarms, infrared motion detectors, automotive pollution sensors and a variety of military applications thatdepend on smart sensors.

A pyroelectric detector contains a material that produces a charge when heated. When the material is placed between electrodes and connected to a sensing circuit, acurrent is generated. These sensors are limited by their acoustic sensitivity, which can trigger false alarms. The NIST solution (for which a provisional patent hasbeen submitted) is to engineer two or more pyroelectric domains within a single crystal. This significantly reduces the noise problem, simplifies the construction byusing only one piece of material and simplifies the electrode pattern.