High-performance pyroelectric single crystals for uncooled infrared detection applications

Uncooled pyroelectric infrared detectors based on ferroelectric single crystals 0.74Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.26PbTiO3 (PMN–0.26PT) were fabricated. The performances of pyroelectric detectors dependence on detector fabrication temperature, absorption layer, and element thickness were compared. The room-temperature voltage responsivity (Rv) of ∼200 V/W and specific detectivity (D*) of ∼108 cm Hz1/2/W at 12.5 Hz have been achieved. The results reveal that the better pyroelectric response can be expected by controlling temperature below 70 °C during the fabrication of the pyroelectric detectors, selecting absorption layer with high absorption coefficient, and decreasing the thickness of the elements.