Theoretical and experimental study of power radiometric measurements using a pyroelectric current integrator converter

In this paper, we describe a method of carried charge signal conditioning associated to the pyroelectric effect: integration of the current in order to determine the temperature response measuring the power or the energy contained in optical radiations. The obtained results of investigation about the temperature response of a polyvinylidine fluoride (PVF2) pyroelectric detector to optical radiation using an appropriate electrical charge-current converter are reported. The experimental responses are compared to the ones obtained using a theoretical model which takes into account the wave propagation through the successive layers constituting the detector. A comparison of the responses obtained from two types of converters is presented and the independence of the pyroelectric detector from the topology of the conditioning circuit is also studied and demonstrated.