Effect of the Degree of Overcooling on Relaxation of the Domain Structure of Triglycine Sulphate

Abstract

The formation and evolution of the domain structure in the vicinity of the Curie point is studied in triglycine sulfate crystals subjected to fast cooling T_C. We derive an analytical expression for time dependence of the mean characteristic domain size. This expression enable us to investigate the process of enlargement of domain structure through all stages of its relaxation into a state of thermodynamic equilibrium. The model predicts a root-square behavior of the mean domain size, which agrees well with available experimental data. The rate of enlargement of the domain structure is shown to depend on the degree of overcooling. The time dependence of the mean domain size obtained in this study enables us to determine the radius of intermolecular interactions in the crystals under study.