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handbook of modern sensors

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430 14 Light Detectors<br />

machining (MEMS) technology. The central part <strong>of</strong> the silicon substrate is removed by<br />

means <strong>of</strong> anisotropic etching from the back, leaving only about a 1-µm thin sandwich<br />

layer (membrane) <strong>of</strong> SiO 2 –Si 3 N 4 on top, which has a low thermal conductivity. Onto<br />

this membrane thin conductors <strong>of</strong> two different thermoelectric materials (polysilicon<br />

and aluminum) are deposited. This allowed the production <strong>of</strong> <strong>sensors</strong> with a negligible<br />

temperature coefficient <strong>of</strong> sensitivity, which is an important factor for operation<br />

over broad ambient temperatures ranges.<br />

14.6.3 Pyroelectric Sensors<br />

Pyroelectric <strong>sensors</strong> belong to a class <strong>of</strong> PIR detectors. A typical construction <strong>of</strong> a<br />

solid-state pyroelectric sensor is shown in Fig. 14.21A. It is housed in a metal TO-5<br />

or TO-39 can for better shielding and is protected from the environment by a silicon<br />

or any other appropriate window. The inner space <strong>of</strong> the can is <strong>of</strong>ten filled with dry<br />

air or nitrogen. Usually, two sensing elements are oppositely, serially, or in parallel<br />

connected for better compensation <strong>of</strong> rapid thermal changes and mechanical stresses<br />

resulting from acoustical noise and vibrations. Sometimes, one <strong>of</strong> the elements is<br />

coated with heat-absorbing paint or gold black and the other element is shielded from<br />

radiation and gold plated for better reflectivity. Alternatively, the element is given<br />

nichrome electrodes. Nichrome has high emissivity and thus serves a dual purpose:<br />

to collect electric charge and to absorb thermal radiation. For applications in PIR<br />

motion detectors, both pyroelectric elements are exposed to the window.<br />

(A)<br />

(B)<br />

(C)<br />

Fig. 14.21. A dual-pyroelectric sensor: (A) structure <strong>of</strong> a sensor in a metal can; (B) metal<br />

electrodes are deposited on the opposite sides <strong>of</strong> a material; (C) equivalent circuit <strong>of</strong> a dual<br />

element.

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