The defect structure of TGS single crystals grown at constant temperature above TC, each at different constant supersaturation, is investigated by ultramicroscopy and Lang X‐ray topography. It is found that the defect density decreases with decreasing growth rate even at rates lower then 1 mm/d. The decreasing volume defect and dislocation densities are followed by an increase of maximum permittivity εmax, a decrease of coercive field Ec and a slight increase of the temperature of the phase transition TC. The effect is interpreted as a consequence of decreasing inhomogeneity of the crystals caused by reducing the number of defects, and its physical mechanisms are discussed. Further, the conditions for obtaining TGS crystals in which high‐quality regions exist, are analysed.

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The operation is described of a novel dielectric element which can stabilize its own temperature within narrow limits in the highly nonlinear region close to the Curie temperature. The device employs a triglycine sulphate (TGS) single crystal, and its operation is based on heating due to dielectric loss that is a strong function of temperature near the Curie point. The element operating in this autostabilizing state exhibits extremely high dielectric nonlinearities up to the high-frequency region, the nonlinearities being only little dependent on the changes of ambient temperature, which was experimentally proved in the range from −35° to +45°C. The element has various applications; e.g., frequency multiplier, mixer, frequency modulator, pulse position modulator, dielectric amplifier, electrometer, electromechanical transducer, transducer sensitive to heat transfer, etc.