Electrode effects revisited [permittivity measurement]

Electrode effects are often observed as an instrumental artifact associated with measurements of electrical permittivity at low frequencies. Such effects introduce a polarization capacity, C/sub p/, associated with the interface between the electrode and the material under test. This polarization capacity follows a fractional power law dependence on frequency, such that C/sub p/ /spl prop/ /spl omega//sup -/spl alpha//, where /spl omega/ is the frequency and /spl alpha/ is a function of frequency with values below 1/2. The possibility that such a power law dependence may be attributed to coupling between the applied electric field and the free charge in the Debye layer is examined.