SENSORS & ACTUATORS

GAYATHRI DEVI B

Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering

 SENSORS & ACTUATORS

Self-Generating Sensors

GAYATHRI DEVI B
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering
SENSORS & ACTUATORS
Pyroelectric Sensors-Introduction

 A Pyroelectric detector is an infrared sensitive optoelectronic

component which are specifically used for detecting
electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range from 2 to 14
µm.

 What does pyroelectric mean?

Pyroelectricity is the ability of certain materials to generate

an electrical potential when they are heated or cooled.
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Pyroelectric Sensors
 How does a pyroelectric sensor work?

 Pyroelectric detectors are thermal detectors: Temperature

fluctuations produce a charge change on the surface
of pyroelectric crystals, which produces a corresponding
electrical signal. ...

 The pyroelectric coefficient determines the ability to produce

current from IR radiation. That is to say: the bigger, the better.
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Pyroelectric Sensors
 What is a pyroelectric material?

 Pyroelectricity can be described as the ability of

certain materials to generate a temporary voltage when they
are heated or cooled.

 The change in temperature modifies the positions of the

atoms slightly within the crystal structure, such that the
polarization of the material changes.
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 How about operating principle of Pyroelectric infrared sensor?

 Pyro-electric effect is a phenomenon such as;

When the temperature of pyro-electric ceramic is changed,
spontaneous polarization of ceramic is changed by the amount
of temperature change.

 Then the amount of electric charge is varied depending on the

change of spontaneous polarization.

 Pyro-electric infrared sensor generates signal output when it

detect temperature change of ceramic.
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Pyroelectric Sensors
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Pyroelectric Sensors
Features of the pyroelectric infrared sensors:

 Extensive variations

 It can select sensors using the most suitable pyroelectric

element to use.

 Intrusion alarm annunciator for automatic door switch.

 Temperature measurements for flame detection, for gas

analysis and measurement, etc.
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Pyroelectric Sensors
 High sensitivity
 It can select sensors using the most suitable pyroelectric
element to use.

 It is designed to maximum sensitivity the material has can be

obtained. In any such applications, it has achieved the
performance to satisfy.

 High reliability and high durability

 In the TO-5 of hermetic seal has become a package

encapsulating an inert gas. Thereby it has realized the high
reliability and high durability.
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Pyroelectric Sensors

Infrared thermometer system diagram.

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Pyroelectric Sensors

 A probe is inserted into the ear canal or swept over the temple
and other parts of the forehead.

 A probe cover is typically used to prevent cross-contamination.

The probe cover is not necessary for isolation because the
pyroelectric sensor at the end of the probe does not make
patient contact.

 The probe acts as a waveguide to direct radiation to the

pyroelectric sensor, when the processor module opens the
shutter assembly.
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Pyroelectric Sensors

 The pyroelectric sensor output and ambient temperature

thermistor circuit output are amplified, digitized, and
transmitted to the processor module.

 There, initial temperature estimates are calculated using the

Stefan-Boltzmann equation.

 These initial temperature estimates are then compensated for

emissivity and other errors. The final temperature estimates
are transmitted to an LCD display.

 An alkaline battery for the power source ensures that only low
current is present. 
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Pyroelectric Sensors

Pyroelectric materials applications

1.Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR sensor):
 Passive infrared (PIR) sensors are a common type of motion
detector sensors, which can detect the movement of human
beings, animals, objects, etc., or anything which radiates
thermal infrared radiation.
 A PIR sensors are made with pyroelectric materials, which
generate electrical energy in response to the absorbed
thermal energy. The thermal energy radiated in the form of
infrared waves are invisible to human eyes. So, the PIR
sensors can work as a hidden device. Because of this ability,
they are widely used for security and automation
applications.
 The PIR sensors have an average operating range of 5m to
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Pyroelectric Sensors

2.Infrared Thermometers
The infrared thermometers or pyrometers are used for non-
contact temperature measurements. They are used for
temperature measurement in the areas where physical contact is
not possible. Such as moving objects, extremely heated
substances, etc.
Infrared thermometers have good precision and accuracy for a
wide temperature range.
3.Laser Energy Sensors
Pyroelectric sensors are most commonly used sensor type, for
measuring the Power and Energy of Lasers. They have a fast
response in measurement compared to other sensor types.
THANK YOU

Gayathri Devi B
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering
gayathridb@pes.edu
+91 80 6666 3333 Extn 273