Transverse polarization reversal in the triglycine sulphate ferroelectric

A single triglycine sulphate (TGS) crystal was initially transversely polarized in a prolonged constant electric field not parallel to the ferroelectric b-axis. Afterwards, the reversal process of c component of polarization (in the Hoshino-Okaya-Pepińsky co-ordinate system) was investigated experimentally. It was shown that a time period of the order of 100 h is required for the transverse polarization of the order of 0.01 C/m2 to be reversed in the transverse electric field E∥c, where ∣E∣≈180 kV/m. Quasi-pyroelectric properties in the c-axis direction of the crystal could be modified by such a field, formerly applied to the crystal. Hence, at the time of heating the sample, various temperature dependencies of a depolarizing current of both signs could be observed for the same crystal along the direction perpendicular to the ferroelectric b-axis.