Pyroelectric characteristics of modified barium titanate ceramics

BaZrO₃and BaHfO₃modified polycrystalline BaTiO₃are candidate materials for transverse mode and pyroelectric charge coupled device (CCD) arrays. Addition of 3–4% barium zirconate and barium hafnate to barium titanate alters the temperature of phase transformations and with it, dielectric and pyroelectric properties. These additions create a temperature range close to room temperature where the pyroelectric coefficient is extremely high relative to the dielectric permittivity. These materials show a very high figure of merit for dielectric bolometer applications that is competitive with existing materials, while being relatively easy to prepare.