Passive Infra-red
Passive infrared sensor
A passive infrared sensor (PIR Sensor) is an electronic sensor that measures infrared light radiating from objects in its field of view. They are most often used in PIR-based motion detectors.
Operating principle
All objects with a temperature above absolute zero emit heat energy in the form of radiation. Usually this radiation is invisible to the human eye because it radiates at infrared wavelengths, but it can be detected by electronic devices designed for such a purpose.
The term passive in this instance refers to the fact that PIR devices do not generate or radiate any energy for detection purposes. They work entirely by detecting the energy given off by other objects.[1] It is important to note that PIR sensors don't detect or measure "heat" per se; instead they detect the Infrared radiation emitted from an object which is different from but often associated/correlated with the object's temperature (e.g., a detector of X-rays or gamma rays would not be considered a heat detector, though high temperatures may cause the emission of X or gamma radiation).[2]
Construction
Infrared radiation enters through the front of the sensor, known as the 'sensor face'. At the core of a PIR sensor is a solid state sensor or set of sensors, made from pyroelectric materials-materials which generate energy when exposed to heat. Typically, the sensors are approximately 1/4 inch square (40 mm2), and take the form of a thin film. Materials commonly used in PIR sensors include gallium nitride (GaN), caesium nitrate (CsNO3), polyvinyl fluorides, derivatives of phenylpyridine, and cobalt phthalocyanine. The sensor is often manufactured as part of an integrated circuit.
PIR motion-based detector
A PIR-based motion detector is used to sense movement of people, animals, or other objects. They are commonly used in burglar alarms and automatically-activated lighting systems. They are commonly called simply "PIR", or sometimes "PID", for "passive infrared
A passive infrared sensor (PIR Sensor) is an electronic sensor that measures infrared light radiating from objects in its field of view. They are most often used in PIR-based motion detectors.
Operating principle
All objects with a temperature above absolute zero emit heat energy in the form of radiation. Usually this radiation is invisible to the human eye because it radiates at infrared wavelengths, but it can be detected by electronic devices designed for such a purpose.
The term passive in this instance refers to the fact that PIR devices do not generate or radiate any energy for detection purposes. They work entirely by detecting the energy given off by other objects.[1] It is important to note that PIR sensors don't detect or measure "heat" per se; instead they detect the Infrared radiation emitted from an object which is different from but often associated/correlated with the object's temperature (e.g., a detector of X-rays or gamma rays would not be considered a heat detector, though high temperatures may cause the emission of X or gamma radiation).[2]
Construction
Infrared radiation enters through the front of the sensor, known as the 'sensor face'. At the core of a PIR sensor is a solid state sensor or set of sensors, made from pyroelectric materials-materials which generate energy when exposed to heat. Typically, the sensors are approximately 1/4 inch square (40 mm2), and take the form of a thin film. Materials commonly used in PIR sensors include gallium nitride (GaN), caesium nitrate (CsNO3), polyvinyl fluorides, derivatives of phenylpyridine, and cobalt phthalocyanine. The sensor is often manufactured as part of an integrated circuit.
PIR motion-based detector
A PIR-based motion detector is used to sense movement of people, animals, or other objects. They are commonly used in burglar alarms and automatically-activated lighting systems. They are commonly called simply "PIR", or sometimes "PID", for "passive infrared