Poling machine for continuous film of pyroelectric and/or piezoelectric material

摘要

An apparatus and method for continuously poling a film of material exhibiting pyroelectric and/or piezoelectric characteristics are disclosed. The apparatus includes a drive for advancing the film, a hot poling roller, a cold fixing roller, and a pair of electrodes that establish an electric field across the film while it is heated by the hot roller. In a first embodiment, one side of the film is coated with a conductive layer that is electrically grounded to serve as a ground electrode and the poling roller serves as a high voltage electrode for establishing the electrical field across the film. In a second embodiment, the poling roller is electrically grounded and a plurality of corona charging devices are employed as the high voltage electrode. In both embodiments, the poling roller is separated from direct physical contact with the film by a resistive layer in order to avoid serious damage to the film due to electrical arcing that can occur through a defective or thinner than normal area of the film.