Active regulator for maximizing pyroelectric sensitivity

A pyroelectric sensor having an active temperature regulation for maximizing the sensitivity of the pyroelectric sensor, comprising:

• a ferroelectric transducer having a characteristic operating hysteresis loop;
• a DC bias that externally grades the ferroelectric transducer;
• a temperature regulator that operates the ferroelectric transducer at an optimum sensitivity, wherein the temperature regulator is a temperature regulator which further comprises a heating/cooling source that either applies heat or cools the ferroelectric transducer in order to achieve maximized sensitivity with an AC excitation large enough to substantially traverse the entire hysteresis loop;
• and
• a controller that provides a feedback error signal to the temperature regulator to maximize the sensitivity of the ferroelectric transducer.

A pyroelectric sensor having an active excitation regulation for maximizing the sensitivity of the pyroelectric sensor, comprising:

• a ferroelectric transducer having a characteristic operating hysteresis loop;
• an excitation regulator that operates the ferroelectric transducer at an optimum sensitivity, wherein the excitation regulator further comprises a large variably operated AC excitation source that variable operates the ferroelectric transducer by substantially traversing the entire saturation loop in order to achieve maximized sensitivity;
• a DC bias that externally grades the ferroelectric transducer;
• and
• a controller that provides a feedback error signal to the excitation regulator to maximize the sensitivity of the ferroelectric transducer.

A pyroelectric sensor having an active regulation for maximizing the sensitivity of the pyroelectric sensor, comprising:

• a homogenous ferroelectric transducer having a characteristic operating hysteresis loop;
• a DC bias that externally grades the ferroelectric transducer;
• a regulator that operates the homogeneous ferroelectric transducer at an optimum sensitivity with an AC excitation large enough to substantially traverse the entire hysteresis loop;
• and
• a controller that provides a feedback error signal to the regulator to maximize the sensitivity of the ferroelectric transducer1
• wherein the regulator is an excitation regulator that further comprises a variably operated AC excitation source, wherein the feedback error signal controls the variably operated AC excitation source and is determined by a maximum rate of change in ferroelectric transducer energy in view of a driving AC signal strength.

A method for regulating a pyroelectric sensor in order to achieve maximum sensitivity of the pyroelectric sensor, comprising the steps of:

• driving a ferroelectric transducer with a regulator, said transducer having a characteristic operating hysteresis loop;
• providing a DC bias that externally grades the ferroelectric transducer;
• modifying a polarization state of the ferroelectric transducer with an external infrared temperature;
• determining an amount of energy of the ferroelectric transducer;
• providing an AC excitation large enough to substantially traverse the entire hysteresis loop;
• determining the maximum rate of change of energy of the ferroelectric transducer;
• and
• providing a feedback error signal to the regulator to maximize the sensitivity of the ferroelectric transducer.

A pyroelectric sensor having an active regulation for maximizing the sensitivity of the pyroelectric sensor, comprising:

• a homogenous ferroelectric transducer having a characteristic operating hysteresis loop;
• a DC bias that externally grades the ferroelectric transducer;
• a regulator that operates the homogeneous ferroelectric transducer at an optimum sensitivity with an AC excitation large enough to substantially traverse the entire hysteresis loop;
• and
• a controller that provides a feedback error signal to the regulator to maximize the sensitivity of the ferroelectric transducer,
• wherein the regulator is a temperature regulator that further comprises a heating/cooling source that either applies heat or cools the homogenous ferroelectric transducer in order to achieve maximized sensitivity, wherein the feedback error signal provides a change in temperature signal to the temperature regulator, wherein the feedback error signal is determined by a maximum rate of change in ferroelectric transducer energy in view of an operating temperature of the temperature regulator.

A pyroelectric sensor having an active regulation for maximizing the sensitivity of the pyroelectric sensor, comprising:

• a homogenous ferroelectric transducer having a characteristic operating hysteresis loop;
• a DC bias that externally grades the ferroelectric transducer;
• a regulator that operates the homogeneous ferroelectric transducer at an optimum sensitivity with an AC excitation large enough to substantially traverse the entire hysteresis loop;
• and
• a controller that provides a feedback error signal to the regulator to maximize the sensitivity of the ferroelectric transducer,
• wherein the optimum sensitivity is an operable temperature that causes a maximum change in polarization per change in temperature.