The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the dielectric constants, and their temperature dependences, of phosphate and tellurite glasses

Measurements of the pressure dependence of the static dielectric constant of tellurite (pure TeO₂ and 67%TeO₂ + 33%WO₃) and samarium phosphate (5%Sm₂O₃ + 95%P₂O₅ and 15%Sm₂O₃ + 85%P₂O₅) glasses at elevated pressures (0–70 kbar) for a range of temperatures (77–380 K) are reported. The electrical properties under pressure have been determined from the low-frequency complex plane analysis of glass discs contained within a Bridgman opposed anvil cell. The most notable observation is that the pressure dependence of the static dielectric constant, of all glasses studied, is positive, for example for vitreous TeO₂ ln ε/P is equal to 4.41 × 10^?11 (Pa^?1) at 293 K. Behaviour of this type is common to a number of materials (plastics and chalcogenide glasses) for which it is not possible to define any long-range order. It is in direct contrast with the behaviour of crystalline insulators, for which ε/P is usually negative. The effect of pressure on the dielectric constant has been analysed using two different approaches based on the macroscopic Clausius-Mossotti equation. The effects of high pressure on the dielectric constant have been correlated with the temperature dependence of the dielectric constant at atmospheric pressure.