Domain-engineered thin-film LiNbO3 pyroelectric-bicell optical detector

We have fabricated a bicell detector consisting of a single freestanding fi lm of single-crystal lithium niobate (LiNbO3) 10-mum thick, having two adja cent domains of opposite spontaneous polarization, and hence, two adjacent pyroelectric detector regions of equal and opposite sensitivity. The film w as created by applying the process of crystal ion slicing and electric fiel d poling (domain engineering) to a Z-cut LiNbO3 wafer. The detector's noise equivalent power was 6 nW . Hz(-1/2) at 16 HZt, and the ambient temperatur e-dependent variation of the detector's response near room temperature was 0.1% K-1. The acoustic noise sensitivity measured at 100 Hz was -24 dB rela tive to that of a single-domain detector.