Temperature dependence of the pyroelectric coefficient and the spontaneous polarization of AlN

Abstract

Using the Debye model and existing experimental data of the pyroelectric coefficient of AlN, the temperature dependence of the pyroelectric coefficient as well as the spontaneous polarization of AlN is calculated over a wide temperature range from 0to1000K. The pyroelectric coefficient is proportional to T3 at low temperature and increases acutely from 0 to around 400K, and then increases gently from 400to1000K. It makes AlN uniquely suitable for application in high temperature pyroelectric sensors. The spontaneous polarization of AlN changes a little from 0to1000K, which indicates that the features of III-nitrides based devices will hardly be degraded by the change of the spontaneous polarization.