High-performance pyroelectric single crystals for uncooled infrared detection applications

Uncooled pyroelectric infrared detectors based on ferroelectric single crystals 0.74Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)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 (R_v) of 200 V/W and specific detectivity (D^*) of 10⁸ cm Hz^1/2/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.