Thin-film pyroelectric sensor supplier Pyreos Ltd. has been awarded a grant of almost £950,000 ($1.1 million) to develop the next generation of thin-film pyroelectric IR sensors. The company, spun out from German industrial firm Siemens in 2007, received the award from the U.K.’s Innovate UK. It paves the way for a joint project with nanotechnology innovators at Imperial College in London, aimed at further enhancing the capabilities of ultrasensitive PZT materials used in the production of pyroelectric thin films. The new project combines Imperial College’s expertise in thin-film deposition control, characterization and analysis with Pyreos’ skill in sensor development. A third partner, an Oxford-based small-to-medium-sized enterprise that specializes in the manufacture of highly customizable advanced modular sputtering equipment, is also involved. The grant aims to advance the general understanding and technology surrounding thin-film pyroelectric oxides, piezoelectric and ferroelectric oxides, with a view to further enhancing product uniformity, repeatability and stability. Pyreos, which is based at the Scottish Microelectronics Centre at the University of Edinburgh’s Kings Buildings campus, is a supplier of thin-film pyroelectric Sensors that are used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products ranging from devices that detect flames or analyze gases to spectrometers that analyze foodstuffs, engine oils and blood, along with switches and other electronics that detect gestures and presence. Innovate UK is sponsored by the U.K.’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to find and drive the science and technology innovations for economic growth.