High performance pyroelectric detectors

A survey of a number of possible materials for use in pyroelectric detectors shows that strontium barium niobate, lithium sulphate and triglycine sulphate (TGS) are the most interesting materials. Over a large range of frequencies and sensitive areas TGS and its derivatives offer the highest sensitivities. The major disadvantage of TGS, a tendency to depole, has been overcome by the addition of organic dopants. This can lead to biased hysteresis loops and improved dielectric performance. An increased range of operating working temperature is obtained by deuteration. A brief survey of some of the applications of pyroelectric detectors is given.