A nickel layer was deposited onto the PZT thin films, serving both as a selective radiation absorption layer and as a top electrode. The absorption properties of such nickel coated multi-layered infrared detectors were studied in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. The optimal thickness of the nickel layer on our substrate was 10nm. The maximum absorption coefficient of the deposited 10nm thick nickel layer was 0.7 at a 632nm wavelength. However, a striking asymmetric polarization hysteresis loop was observed in these PZT thin films with nickel as the top electrode. This asymmetric polarization was attributed to the difference between the dynamic pyroelectric responses in these Ni/PZT/Pt films poled either positively or negatively before the measurement. A positively poled film showed a 40% higher voltage response than a negatively poled detector.