Pressure and temperature dependence of the static dielectric constant of KBr

The static dielectric constant and the temperature and pressure derivatives of the static dielectric constant of KBr have been measured at several temperatures between 4·3°K and room temperature. The sample was prepared in the form of a three-terminal parallel-plate capacitor and the dielectric constant was determined from measurements of the capacitance with a high precision bridge. The dielectric constant decreases with temperature as does the magnitude of the temperature dependence and the magnitude of the pressure dependence. The data were used to calculate the fixed-volume temperature derivative of the dielectric constant. This quantity, (? ln ε/?T)_v, exhibiting lattice-anharmonicity effects, decreases slightly from its room temperature value as the temperature is lowered, rises to a maximum value at about 33°K and then decreases rapidly at lower temperatures.