Physics and applications of pyroelectricity

The physics and applications of pyroelectricity are explored. A brief history as well as relevant scientific background information regarding the electromagnetic spectrum, dielectrics, and dipoles are given. Relevant figures of merit for infrared detection are derived for current responsivity, voltage responsivity, and detectivity. This paper also explains some of the costs and benefits of pyroelectric single crystals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Typical setups for pyroelectric motion detectors and thermal imaging are described as well as methods to achieve the highest resolution and acquire the best signals. As we can take advantage of the pyroelectric effect whenever heat is present, a microcalorimetry experiment to determine heats of adsorption onto a thin film is also described to demonstrate the wide range of use of pyroelectric materials