Electrostatic measurements of tertiary pyroelectricity in partially clamped LiNbO3

Abstract

One of the first observations of a well separated tertiary pyroelectric effect is reported. Tertiary pyroelectricity has been observed on disks of single domain, single crystal LiNbO3 under partially clamped elastic boundary conditions (obtained by locally laser heating the central 2.5 mm of a 19 mm diameter disk) using a non-contact electrostatic measurement. When the y axis is perpendicular to the disk's face, the observed transient effect may be traced to the time evolution of the secondary pyroelectric response. When the x axis is perpendicular to the disk's face, a true tertiary response due to a temperature gradient through the thickness of the disk was observed.