Enhancement of energy loss of fast electrons in a ferroelectric medium near the Curie temperature.

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the energy loss of 624-keV electrons in ferroelectric barium titanate (${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$) and triglycine sulfate [(${\mathrm{CH}}_{2}$${\mathrm{NH}}_{2}$COOH${)}_{3}$ ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}$] has been studied with the use of a single-gap magnetic spectrometer. The present measurements confirm the anomalous increase in energy loss of electrons near the Curie temperature ${T}_{C}$ and indicate its dependence on (a) the magnitude of the dielectric anomaly at ${T}_{C}$, (b) the effect of a dc electric field larger than the coercive field, and (c) the application of an alternating electric field. Probable mechanisms for the origin of the observed phenomenon are discussed.