MIT Develops Ultrathin Pyroelectric Films for Advanced Infrared Sensing

MIT engineers have developed a technique to grow and peel ultrathin electronic “skins” for new electronic devices.

• Demonstrated fabrication of the thinnest pyroelectric membrane yet (10 nanometers thick), highly sensitive to heat and far-infrared radiation.
• The film enables lighter, portable far-IR sensing devices without the bulky cooling required by current technology.
• Potential applications include night-vision eyewear, autonomous driving in fog, environmental sensing, and semiconductor chip monitoring.
• The new lift-off technique can be generalized to other semiconductor films, potentially including those without lead.
  This advancement paves the way for lighter, more sensitive infrared sensors with broad environmental and technological applications.