SLOW RELAXATION OF A POLYDOMAIN FERROELECTRIC IN WEAK ELECTRIC-FIELDS

Polarization relaxation of a polydomain ferroelectric (triglycine sulf ate) in weak electric fields has been studied. A phenomenological desc ription of the relaxation process is proposed, which is based on the c oncept of thermally activated motion of domain walls through energy ba rriers created by inhomogeneities, and of the existence distribution s pectra of relaxation times tau and barrier energies E-g. Possible spec tra were constructed from experimental data, and their characteristic parameters were determined for various electric fields E. It is shown that the width of the barrier energy spectrum Delta E-g is practicalit y independent of E and may probably be considered as a characteristic of crystal inhomogeneity. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.