PIR Motion Sensor:
A Passive Infrared sensor (PIR sensor) is an electronic sensor that measures infrared (IR) light radiating from objects in its field of view. They are most often used in PIR-based motion detectors.
Operating principles:
All objects above absolute zero emit heat energy in the form of infrared radiation (infrared light). Usually infrared light is invisible to the human eye, 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.
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.
