Ranko Richert



Technique: Dielectric Relaxation e(w)


The dielectric laboratory offers a variety of highly sensitive and mostly automated equipment for impedance measurements which directly yield the frequency-domain dielectric function e*(w). The orientational motion of molecules as well as the translational motion of ions can be studied as a function of temperature (25 K to 475 K), in a wide range of frequencies, 10 mHz to 10 MHz.

Typical components for a frequency domain measurement of the impedance or dielectric function e*(w). For frequencies between 10 mHz and 10 MHz we use a gain-phase analyser Solartron SI-1260 and a transimpedance amplifier DM-1360, which converts low currents to measurable voltages over the entire frequency range. [56]


We focus mainly on the dynamics in the viscous regime of glass-forming materials near the glass transition temperature [47, 51, 69, 77, 79, 85, 107, 111, 125, 132, 133]. In order to resolve even very small current signals properly, the transimpedance amplifiers 'DM-1360' and 'DM-1370' developed in our lab are employed [56].

Example of impedance measurements using the SI-1260 analyzer combined with the DM-1360 and the DM-1370 amplifiers. Impedances as high as 3´1015 W are being measured by analysing amplitude and phase of a 10 -15 A current at 10-5 Hz. Capacity changes of 10-15 F and loss tangents near tand = 2´10-5 can be resolved with our system.


Other dielectric equipment in our lab:

Andeen-Hagerling Ultraprecision Capacitance Bridge AH-2700A (50 Hz - 20 kHz, tand > 4´10-8)
Solartron SI-1260 10 mHz - 30 MHz gain/phase analyzer
Stanford-Research Lock-In SR-830 (1 mHz - 102 kHz)
Hewlett-Packard Impedance Bridge HP-4284A (20 Hz - 1 MHz)
Nicolet Sigma 100 4channel 100MS/s 14 bit digital scope
Stanford-Research DS-345 1 mHz - 30 MHz synthesized function generator
Mestec DM-1360 & DM-1370 transimpedance amplifiers




Reference numbers refer to the list of publications

Experimental techniques:
Selected projects:
optical spectroscopy
nanometer confinement
dielectric epsilon e*(w)
dynamic heterogeneity
dielectric modulus M(t)
dielectric hole burning
hole burning experiments
dielectric relaxation
high-field dielectrics
hydrogen bonding liquids
probe rotation
non-linear dielectrics


Updated: 9 Aug 2008