Session EA - Poster Session.
POSTER session, Thursday afternoon, October 31
Ballroom A, Auburn University Hotel/Dixon Conference Center
Pyroelectric detectors of infrared radiation are fast-response thermal sensors operating at ambient temperature unlike semiconductor detectors, which require cooling. Their spectral response is uniform in a large range of wavelengths, including main band of IR transmission of the earth atmosphere. Triglycine sulfate (TGS) based pyroelectric detectors are the most sensitive among available ferroelectric materials. The effective sensitivity and performance depend not only on the sensor element material characteristics, but also on the thermal performance of the complete structure of a detector such as substrate material, absorbing layer and isolation layers including associated electronics. Thus we have calculated the thermal transfer function by solving a one-dimension thermal diffusion equation for an n-layer structure. From which the performance of any number of layers detector structure can be derived, predicted and optimized. Using various single sensor configurations and pyroelectric parameters of modified TGS crystals grown in our laboratory, the calculated and predicted current responsivity and other parameters will be presented. A one dimensional heat conduction equation was solved analytically and the detector parameters were calculated using MatLab 6.0. The results obtained are encouraging for the development of TGS thin film based detectors.