Transition rate of aligned coupled electrical dipoles between equivalent stable equilibrium configurations

The dynamics of coupled electrical dipoles separated by a fixed distance is considered, in order to evaluate the rate constant for dipole flopping between the two equivalent equilibrium positions of mutual alignment. It is assumed the temperature to be low and the viscosity coefficient large. The interaction potential is expanded in powers of suitably defined angular variables, therefore the trajectories are solved which make the Onsager-Machlup Lagrangian functional integral stationary. These are the paths followed by the system making a transition between the two equivalent equilibrium configurations. A simple model is proposed in order to evaluate the mean escape rate.

53Highlights► Statistics of interacting dipoles at low temperature and high friction coefficient. ► Transition rate between the two equilibrium configurations of mutual alignment. ► Trajectories connecting these two configurations can be solved exactly. ► A simple model yields close approximation to the transmission coefficient. ► This model requires inertial effects to be enhanced in the proximity of the barrier.