Investigation of the pyroelectric and piezoelectric properties of triglycine sulphate single crystals containing organic molecules

Abstract

The pyroelectric coefficient and the piezoelectric modulus of triglycine sulphate (TGS) single crystals doped with d-l-alanine, orthonitroaniline, paranitroaniline or aniline molecules has been measured from room temperature up to the transition point. The data are compared with those which the authors have previously obtained on pure TGS. A noticeable increase in the value of the pyroelectric coefficient of the doped samples over the whole temperature range is observed. A significant pyroelectric signal is still detected several degrees above the transition point of pure crystals. The spontaneous polarisation is calculated using data for the measured pyroelectric current. The piezoelectric modulus of the doped crystals reaches its maximum value at a temperature lower than the Curie point of pure TGS before it decreases steadily to zero. A relation between the piezoelectric modulus and the temperature just before the maximum value is deduced. The role of the internal bias created in the crystal after doping is also discussed.