Dielectric study of orientational disorder in (CO2)1-x(N2O)x mixed crystals

Abstract

The dipolar relaxation dynamics of solid solutions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide has been investigated using dielectric spectroscopy. The temperature dependence of the relaxation rate reveals an ideal Arrhenius behavior for all concentrations, with energy barriers which scale linearly between the two pure compounds. The attempt frequencies are anomalously high. The distribution of relaxation times due to the static random fields as introduced by the substitutional impurity molecules is almost negligible. The melting temperature is determined by a critical relaxation rate of 40 kHz.