Dielectric losses in the triglycine sulfate crystal under heating and cooling

Abstract

Temperature dynamics of the dielectric spectra and domain structure in the triglycine sulfate (TGS) hydrogen-containing ferroelectric under heating and cooling has been studied using the dielectric spectroscopy and atomic-force microscopy methods. The dielectric spectra are analyzed by the temperature-frequency dependences of the losses ε″ and by the temperature behavior of the maximum losses ε″_max in the dispersion region at frequencies ranging from 102 to 106 Hz. A dynamic conductivity model is proposed for calculating temperature dependences of losses ε″_max. The domain structure dynamics during the heating and cooling of the TGS crystal near the phase transition is studied using the in situ piezoresponse force microscopy. It is experimentally and theoretically shown that the relaxation dispersion is governed by the binding of strongly correlated dipoles with the main lattice that serves as a thermostat.