Low temperature polarization effects in ice

When an initially unpolarized HF doped ice specimen is warmed at a constant rate in an applied electric field two peaks are observed in the current. The low temperature peak occurs near 100°K and the temperature at which this peak occurs is seen to increase as the HF concentration decreases. The second peak appears to occur randomly in the temperature range 125–135°K. These peaks are also observed if the sample is cooled in an applied electric field and then warmed at a constant rate with the field removed. It is suggested that the first peak is due to a dielectric relaxation process which is governed by the L defects released from the HF molecules. This release of L defects is shown to obey the law of mass action with an activation energy for liberation of an L defect of 0.12±0.06 eV and a dissociation constantk _o ^L≈10²⁹ m^?3. A simple theoretical model of ice is also developed which predicts the current reversal phenomenon observed by Dengelet al. 11] suggesting that it is due to dipole relaxation and not to ferroelectric ordering.