Nonlinear response of permanent dipoles in a mean-field potential to alternating fields

Abstract It is shown how the existing theory of the dynamic Kerr effect and nonlinear dielectric relaxation based on the non-inertial Brownian rotation of non-interacting rigid dipolar particles may be generalized to take into account interparticle interactions using the Maier–Saupe mean-field potential. The results suggest that the frequency dependent nonlinear response provides a new method of measuring the Kramers escape rate (or the longest relaxation time).