Pyroelectricity is a property of certain crystals that are naturally electrically polarized and so contain large electric fields, giving them the ability to generate a temporary voltage when heated or cooled. A change in temperature slightly shifts the positions of atoms within the crystal structure, changing the material's polarization and producing a voltage across the crystal; if the temperature then holds steady, the voltage gradually disappears through leakage current. The name comes from the Greek word for fire, and the effect underlies devices such as pyroelectric fusion, though it is a general property of certain crystal structures rather than a single device.
Facts
Partially Attested
Invented Year1707 is the first recorded observation of the effect, not an invention; the article notes a mistaken attribution to Theophrastus Classification
MaturityTRL 3: Experimental Proof of Concept 1 Technology Type Sources
1. Wikipedia: Pyroelectricity
Introduction, sentence 1
is a property of certain crystals
History, paragraph 1
The first record of the pyroelectric effect was made in 1707 by Johann Georg Schmidt
In Group: Thermoelectric and Charge Effects, Lead
Pyroelectricity (from Greek: pyr (πυρ), "fire" and electricity) is a property of certain crystals which are naturally electrically polarized and as a result contain large electric fields.
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