Effects of γ-Irradiation on Tri-Glycine Sulfate

Abstract

The effects of γ-irradiation below the Curie point on the ferroelectric tri-glycine sulfate (TGS) were examined. Principal among these effects is the change, as a function of radiation dose, of the energy absorbed by a sample in going from the polar state to the non-polar state. This energy was found to be 0.73 cal/g for a virgin sample and 0.44 cal/g for a sample irradiated to 5 × 10⁶ r. The shift of the Curie point toward lower temperatures (∼ 5° C for 5 × 10⁶ r) was found in the specific heat measurements as well as in the electrical measurements. The internal bias which appears in the hysteresis loops of irradiated samples was studied as a function of temperature, sample thickness, and time of application of the a.c. measuring field. Both the internal bias and the coercive field exhibit a linear increase with increased γ-ray dose.