Quick response PZT/P(VDF-TrFE) composite film pyroelectric infrared sensor with patterned polyimide thermal isolation layer

•A single element infrared sensor using PZT/P(VDF-TrFE) composite thick film, with polyimide thermal insulation layer and thermal insulation tanks fabricated by laser micro-etching, were fabricated.•The detectivity (D*) of the sensor was 1.9  × 108  cm Hz1/2 W−1 at 137.3  Hz modulation frequency and the thermal time constant of the infrared sensor τT was about 15  ms.•The sensor show high detectivity and short response time, which is an essential advantage in infrared detectors and some other devices.

The fabrication method and the pyroelectric response of a single element infrared sensor based lead zirconate titanate (PZT) particles and polyvinylidene fluoride P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer composite thick film is reported in this paper. A special thermal insulation structure, including polyimide (PI) thermal insulation layer and thermal insulation tanks, was used in this device. The thermal insulation tanks were fabricated by laser micro-etching technique. Voltage responsivity (RV), noise voltage (Vnoise), noise equivalent power (NEP), and detectivity (D*) of the PZT/P(VDF-TrFE) based infrared sensor are 1.2 × 103 V/W, 1.25 × 10−6 V Hz1/2, 1.1 × 10−9 W and 1.9 × 108 cm Hz1/2 W−1 at 137.3 Hz modulation frequency, respectively. The thermal time constant of the infrared sensor τT was about 15 ms. The results demonstrate that the composite infrared sensor show a high detectivity at high chopper frequency, which is an essential advantage in infrared detectors and some other devices.