Aging in K$_{1-x}$Li$_x$Ta0$_3$: a domain growth interpretation

TL;DR

This paper investigates the aging behavior of K$_{1-x}$Li$_x$TaO$_3$ crystals' susceptibility, revealing domain growth dynamics influenced by temperature and pinning energy distribution, with parallels to supercooled liquids.

Contribution

It introduces a domain growth model with a broad pinning energy distribution to explain aging and temperature effects in these crystals.

Findings

Aging behavior differs from spin-glasses due to cooling rate effects.

Temperature steps and cycles affect susceptibility in a predictable manner.

A model with a wide distribution of pinning energies explains all observed phenomena.

Abstract

The aging behaviour of the a.c. susceptibility of randomly substituted K$_{1-x}$Li$_x$Ta0$_3$ crystals reveals marked differences with spin-glasses in that cooling rate effects are very important. The response to temperature steps (including temperature cycles) was carefully studied. A model based on thermally activated domain growth accounts for all the experimental results, provided one allows for a large distribution of pinning energies, in such a way that `slow' and `fast' domains coexist. Interesting similarities with deeply supercooled liquids are underlined.