Effect of Pressure on the Switching Rate of Triglycine Sulphate

Abstract

The switching rate of TGS under mechanical stresses has been measured at room temperature by the pulsing method. Hydrostatic pressure (\lesssim2 k bar) decreases while two-dimensional pressure (\lesssim50 bar) perpendicular to the ferroelectric b axis increases the switching rate. The exponential law is followed at every constant pressure of both types, and the activation field α increases linearly at the rate: (∂α⁄∂p)⁄α=(8.5±1.3)×10⁻¹¹ cgs with hydrostatic pressure and decreases linearly at the rate: (∂α⁄∂p)⁄α=−(3.9±0.3)×10⁻⁹ cgs with two-dimensional pressure, where p represents the magnitude of both types of pressure. These results agree with the prediction of Miller-Weinreich theory.