The phenomenological equations of motion for the relaxation of ordered phases of magnetized and polarized crystal phases can be developed in close analogy with one another. For the case of magnetized systems, the driving magnetic field intensity toward relaxation was developed by Gilbert. For the case of polarized systems, the driving electric field intensity toward relaxation was developed by Khalatnikov. The transport times for relaxation into thermal equilibrium can be attributed to viscous sound wave damping via magnetostriction for the magnetic case and electrostriction for the polarization case.

• Received 22 January 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.81.212402