Abstract: A pyroelectric detector with significantly reduced microphonic noise sensitivity that includes a pyroelectric detector element constructed from a z-cut LiNbO3 or LiTaO3 electret. Selective domain reversal is accomplished in the electret by applying an electric field. Electrodes are attached to either surface of the electret spanning the domain reversed region and a portion of the original domain region to create areas of equal and opposite sensitivity. The detector is mounted in an electrically grounded container or housing. The detector may also be constructed having multiple detector regions to accommodate resonant acoustic frequencies of the electret, to function as a position sensor, or both. In other words, the position sensor has multiple domain regions that also accommodate acoustic frequencies. The detector may also be constructed having domain reversed regions placed on the electret in a periodic pattern having a geometry and spacing that is related to the acoustic impulse response of the electret.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pyroelectric detector with significantly reduced microphonic noise sensitivity that includes a pyroelectric detector element constructed from a z-cut LiNbO3 or LiTaO3 electret. Selective domain reversal is accomplished in the electret by applying an electric field. Electrodes are attached to either surface of the electret spanning the domain reversed region and a portion of the original domain region to create areas of equal and opposite sensitivity. The detector is mounted in an electrically grounded container or housing. The detector may also be constructed having multiple detector regions to accommodate resonant acoustic frequencies of the electret, to function as a position sensor, or both. In other words, the position sensor has multiple domain regions that also accommodate acoustic frequencies.

Abstract: A pyroelectric detector with significantly reduced microphonic noise sensvity that includes a pyroelectric detector element constructed from a z-cut LiNbO.sub.3 and LiTaO.sub.3 electret. Selective domain reversal is accomplished in the electret by applying an electric field. Electrodes are attached to either surface of the electret spanning the domain reversed region and a portion of the original domain region to create areas of equal and opposite sensitivity. The detector is mounted in an electrically grounded container or housing. The detector may also be constructed having multiple detector regions to accomodate resonant frequencies of the electret or to function as a position sensor.

Abstract: A rare-earth-doped waveguide device which exhibits stable cw laser and amplifier operation for near-infrared optical pumping in a room-temperature environment is provided. The waveguide device is comprised of an x- or y-cut LiNbO.sub.3 substrate on which metal-diffused channel optical waveguides are formed parallel to, or nearly parallel to, the crystallographic z-axis. The LiNbO.sub.3 substrate is rare-earth doped either by thermal diffusion of single or multiple rare-earth ions. Alternatively, the rare-earth doped substrate is doped with rare-earth ions during the growth of the crystal from which the substrate was prepared with additional thermal diffusion of rare-earth dopants as required. This orientation of the waveguide channel substantially parallel to the crystallographic z-axis permits reliable laser and amplifier action without the destabilizing effects of photorefractive optical damage.