Ferroelectric detector array utilizing material and fabrication technique

Claim 1

A ferroelectric detector array for use in an infrared imager wherein a plurality of ferroelectric material elements each with two sides that are each mounted on one side to a membrane which absorbs incoming radiation substantially without reflection, conducts the incoming radiation to the elements, and provides support for each element mounted to the membrane, further wherein on the other side of each element is mounted a conductive electrode element to substantially neutralize accumulated surface charge of that element, a separate conductive heat dissipating element substantially parallel to each conductive electrode element, a small fraction of which is bonded to an exposed surface area of the conductive electrode element, an insulating element situated in between the conductive electrode element and the conductive heat dissipating element, which supports the heat dissipating element without conducting heat back to the conductive element, a soldering terminal is attached to each conductive metal heat dissipating element for terminal connection such that when incoming radiation impinges upon the one side of the membrane there is a measurable electrical difference from each conductive metal heat dissipating element, the ferroelectric material is an alloy of two essentially pure components each with respective Curie temperatures, with an essentially linear relationship between mole fraction compositions and Curie temperatures of each component, whereby selecting a mole fraction of one of the components will thereby set the mole fraction of the other component and a respective Curie temperature, the material comprising: a composition of Pb 2 (Fe, [Ta.sub.(1-x),Nb x ])O 6 , where x is the mole fraction of Pb 2 (Fe,Nb)O 6 and 1-x is the mole fraction of Pb 2 (Fe, Ta)O 6 , with x having a value greater than zero and less than one .