Question

A pyroelectric sensor has the following attributes and measurements:

Sensor capacitance = 200 μF
Sensor area = 2 mm2
Pyroelectric charge coefficient = 12 Coulombs / m2 - °C
Change in temperature across sensor faces = 6.5°C
What is the pyroelectric voltage in volts across the sensor faces?

Answer 1

The charge in pyroelectric sensors depends on the pyroelectric charge coefficient, area, and temperature change:

$$Q=P_QA\Delta T.$$

The voltage is

$$V=\frac{Q}{C}=\frac{P_QA\Delta T}{C},\\\space\\ V=\frac{12(2\cdot10^{-6})6.5}{200\cdot10^{-6}}=0.78\text{ V}.$$