  Following a change of temperature of a pyroelectric (PE), a depolarizing
electric field appears both inside the PE, as well as outside its edges, the
edge depolarizing electric field (EDEF). The EDEF extends outwards up to a
distance of the order of magnitude of the PE width. The mapping and the
strength of the EDEF have been calculated and analyzed for the case of a
semi-infinite pyroelectric plate. This strong EDEF (104-105 V/cm), when
penetrating into the surrounding medium, creates a variety of physical effects:
inducing electrical current in a semiconductor and affecting its resistance,
accelerating charged and neutral particles in vacuum or in a gas, generating
electromagnetic waves, modifying optical characteristics by electrooptical and
photoelasic effects, generating piezoelectric deformation and more. We show
that these EDEF induced effects could serve as a basis for the development of
various applications and devices.
