Pyroelectric voltage response to short infrared laser pulses in triglycine sulphate and strontium-barium niobate

Analysis is given of the voltage response in a pyroelectric sample to ir signals much shorter than the electronic and thermal time constants of the sample. The equation of the response is derived, and the dependence of the various parameters of the response on the frequency and energy of the pulses as well as on the parameters of the sample and on material constants is compared with experiment in triglycine sulphate and strontium-barium niobate. The peak value of the response is found to be independent of the load resistance as well as of the pulse frequency, and proportional to the energy of the signals, provided that the mean temperature of the sample is far enough from the Curie point.