Dynamic Method for Measuring the Pyroelectric Effect with Special Reference to Barium Titanate

TLDR

Transient currents in barium titanate single crystals induced by light flashes are pyroelectric in origin. Illumination induces a small temperature rise that alters the crystal’s polarization, producing a measurable current in the external circuit, and the method is applied to study field‑induced pyroelectricity above the Curie point. The dynamic method shows that pyroelectric currents from room temperature to the Curie point match the temperature‑dependent polarization measured by hysteresis loops, proving the technique to be sensitive, nondestructive, and consistent with Devonshire’s theory, which confirms the first‑order nature of the Curie transition.

Abstract

A dynamic method has been developed for the study of the pyroelectric effect. Transient currents produced in single crystals of barium titanate when subjected to flashes of light are shown to be pyroelectric in origin. The illumination results in a small change in the temperature of the crystal which, in turn, causes the polarization to change. This change is recorded as a current in the external circuit. It is shown that from room temperature up to the Curie point, the pyroelectric current is consistent with the polarization as a function of temperature, as determined from hysteresis loop measurements. The technique proves to be a sensitive and nondestructive method for studying the state of polarization of a crystal. The technique is used to study the pyroelectric effect induced by applied static electric fields at temperatures above the Curie point. The results are consistent with Devonshire's theory of the ferroelectricity of BaTiO3, and they confirm that the Curie point transition is of the first order.