Some puzzles about logarithmic relaxations and a few possible resolutions
Three subjects are examined in connection with the relaxation of an electron glass. 1. In most cases the experimental decay time τ is found to relate to a history of the system rather than to the time it takes to reach equilibrium. The reason is that in a non-ergodic system equilibrium cannot be reached in any experiment but the knowledge of an equilibrium property is essential in evaluating the time to reach it. 2. An alternative theory is proposed for the interpretation of aging experiments. The proposed theory is deemed to better represent the physics and is more in keeping with the relaxation theory. 3. A current relaxation theory for the electron glass fails to take into account a certain renewal process during the evolution of the relaxation, namely the possibility of fast transitions following a slow transition. Ramifications of such a neglect are explored.