Pyroelectric/superconducting oxide heterostructures for uncooled wide-bandinfrared detection

Infrared detectors consisting of thin film PbZrTiO3/YBa2Cu3O7-x oxide-heter ostructures have been fabricated. The YBCO thin film used as the bottom con ductive electrode significantly increases the performance of pyroelectric I R detector. Detectivity values of similar to 10(8) cm Hz(1/2)/W at room tem perature have been obtained for simple heterostructure device configuration s in IR-wavelength range of 1 mum to 20 mum. Reactive ion etching (RIE) has been used to etch the YBCO and the other oxide layers for the development of an air bridge structure which further reduces thermal mass and increases the operation frequency of the IR detector.