Open HSI menu
Subscribe Login

Home / Articles and Press Releases / Press Release / Life with Pyroelectricity

CATEGORIES

  • Latest Issue
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

MORE

  • Press Releases
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Magazines

COMPANY

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Open HSI menu
Subscribe

Home / Articles and Press Releases / Press Release / Life with Pyroelectricity

CATEGORIES

  • Latest Issue
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

MORE

  • Press Releases
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Magazines

COMPANY

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

CATEGORIES

  • Article
  • Press Release
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • White Papers
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

Press Release

Life with Pyroelectricity

By InfraTec GmbH

| Read Bio

Published: August 16th, 2021

Share this article

Life with pyroelectricity

Science lives from ambitious and inquisitive people. Progress would be inconceivable without them. In the field of infrared technologies, the researchers and developers of InfraTec make a decisive contribution to the advanced development of pyroelectric detectors with their visionary ideas and expertise.

The phenomenon of ferroelectricity

100 years ago, Joseph Valasek discovered the phenomenon of ferroelectricity in potassium‐sodium tartrate‐ tetrahydrate, also known as Rochelle or Seignette salt. He initially observed hysteresis curves of the dielectric polarisation under the influence of an electric field. Valasek formulated that the „dielectric displacement D, the electrical field E and the polarisation behave analogue to the magnetic values B, H and I“. Piezoelectric and pyroelectric characteristics had been investigated on crystals such as tourmaline and quartz long before Valasek. He followed these investigations and paved the way to the exploration of ferroelectric crystals. These can, like pyroelectric crystals, exhibit a “natural” polarisation, however, the polarity can be reversed by an electric field. Further ferroelectrics were found during the following years and rapidly applied in ultrasonic transducers as a result of their outstanding characteristics. Today ferroelectrics can be found in many everyday devices, e. g. as non‐volatile memories in electronic systems, as piezoelements in loudspeakers and lighters and also as pyroelectric detectors in gas and flame sensors.

The scientific journal APL Materials dedicated a special edition „100 Years of Ferroelectricity ‐ a Celebration“ to the discovery of ferroelectricity. Dr. Neumann and two other experts from the research and development department of InfraTec GmbH Infrarotsensorik und Messtechnik have participated in this special edition with the specialist article „Advantages and limitation of Mn doped PIN–PMN–PT single crystals in pyroelectric detectors“. Although lithium tantalate is the customary material for InfraTec detectors, further pyroelectric materials are being researched with the objective of improving the performance and producing more cost‐effectively and also with high process safety. The publication compares lithium tantalate monocrystals and monocrystals on the basis of lead‐magnesium niobate as materials in pyroelectric detectors. In addition to relaxor ferroelectrics based on lead‐indium niobate ‐ lead‐ magnesium niobate ‐ lead titanate (PIN‐PMN‐PT) the team also researched on composites from the ferroelectric polymer PVDF and PZT thin films.

Always one step ahead of time

The pyroelectric effect is the basis for the infrared detectors of InfraTec and a broad field for the continuous investigation of pyroelectric materials and processing technologies. One person, who has always been involved in the further development and optimisation, is Dr. Norbert Neumann. Together with Dr. Matthias Heinze and Dr. Matthias Krauß he founded InfraTec GmbH Infrarotsensorik and Messtechnik in 1991 and became Head of Development in the sensor technology division some time later. At the beginning of the 2000s, he and his team developed a new class of pyroelectric detectors with integrated transimpedance amplifier for current operation, e. g. the LME‐336 (single channel) and the LMM‐244 (4‐channel), followed by the generation of tunable detectors (microspectrometers), which are equipped with the Fabry‐Pérot filter that has received numerous awards. A patented solution for the installation of the pyroelectric elements, which arms the detector against vibrations or mechanical shocks, also came out of the InfraTec research laboratories in the last few years as the LME or LMM series.

The development of new and stable technologies for the processing of the LiTaO3 wafers, e. g. for the application of the absorption and electrode layers, has been accompanied by the sensor development department since the beginning of production. The automatic measuring systems with which the sensitivity and the murmurs of the detectors are measured are an essential prerequisite and building block of our quality philosophy. No detector leaves the InfraTec production shops without electro‐optical product testing.

Researchers follow their visions far away from reality? Not Dr. Neumann! The intentions of the advanced development to ferroelectric materials included increasingly extensive investigations into the feasibility and risks for serial production alongside the technical enthusiasm. This laid the foundation stone for a well‐equipped development laboratory, which is available to the engineers from development, product management and technology, and is even used by our customers for application support. Dr. Neumann has also invested in the younger scientific generation and is able to look back on the mentoring of 15 theses and two dissertations.

Research and development for more power

An extraordinary development department has arisen during the last 30 years in the sensor division – not only due to its size for a medium‐sized company and the accumulated expertise, but also because Dr. Norbert Neumann has always practised a collegial management style. „Everything that we have achieved in the sensor division has been accomplished by us as a team and because everyone has carried out his duties with dedication“, stated the former head of development. After 20 years of outstanding and successful cooperation, Dr. Martin Ebermann will take over the division of advanced development and material research. Norbert Neumann will continue his activities as adviser to InfraTec and carry on with his supervision of the Project Polar, with the objective of the development of a completely CMOS‐compatible, pyroelectric sensor on the basis of hafnium oxide. Moreover, he will accompany the qualification of an in‐house DLaTGS crystal growing scheme in serial status.

Share this article

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

InfraTec GmbH

POPULAR POSTS BY InfraTec GmbH

Kristallisiertes rochelle salz logo - hsi -

Press Release

Life with Pyroelectricity

Get email updates

Sign up for the HSI newsletter

Keep up-to-date through the power of email with Europe's largest audited safety magazine - delivering the latest news and products to satisfy all your occupational safety needs.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Article

 Thameslink Traffic Management Programme

Press Release

‘Working At Height’ Remains Biggest Danger

Press Release

“Uncertainty and Ignorance” Risks More Asbestos Deaths

Advertisement

SOCIAL MEDIA

HSI on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/HSIMagazine/

Advertisement

SOCIAL MEDIA

HSI on Twitter

hsimagazine HSI Magazine @hsimagazine ·
25 Jan

Global gas sensing leader @ionscience has today formally announced the addition of a high-specification Particulate Matter (PM) sensor to its portfolio.

Read all about this exciting addition!
https://www.hsimagazine.com/press-release/worlds-best-performing-particulate-matter-pm-sensor-now-available-from-ion-science-ltd/

#hsimagazine #ionscience #particulatematter

Reply on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Retweet on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Like on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Twitter 1618280038557970432

Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE

Stay up to date with our newsletter

    • Keep up-to-date with Europe’s largest audited safety magazine

 

    • Delivering the latest news and products to satisfy all your occupational safety needs

 

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Subscribe

SUBSCRIBE TO HSI MAGAZINE

5 reasons to subscribe to our digital and print package

  • Stay up to date from anywhere in the world, with instant access to the latest issue straight from your phone, tablet or laptop.
  • Trust that you’re getting the best content from our range of internationally accredited authors.
  • Get full access to our archives and see how occupational safety has evolved with us over the years.
  • Enjoy our monthly newsletter curated with up-to-the-minute news and a selection of editor’s top picks.
  • Hot off the press and straight to your door – look forward to your own glossy copy of HSI, delivered five times a year
Subscribe View Subscription levels

STAY SAFE & INFORMED

Subscribe to the best health & safety articles, news, products and regulations

Find out more

Stay up to date with our newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

ABOUT

  • About HSI International
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

YOUR ACCOUNT

Sign In Register Account Subscribe to HSI

RESOURCES

Request Media Pack

CONNECT

ACCREDITATIONS

Copyright Bay Publishing 2023. All Rights reserved.

Designed & Built by:
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT