Long Time Permittivity Decay in Commensurate Phase of Rb₂ZnCl₄ Single Crystal

Abstract

The decay of the permittivity of Rb₂ZnCl₄ is studied over ten days in the commensurate phase. No equilibrium state is actually found after an experience of twelve days. Assuming that the heating branch may represent the equilibrium state a three-component relaxation law is obtained with three different relaxation time. These relaxation times are connected to three different mechanisms of permittivity decay: six domain wall merging, pair annihilation and pinning to defects.