Dramatic impact of the TiO2 polymorph on the electrical properties of ‘stoichiometric’ Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 ceramics prepared by solid-state reaction

Bulk conductivity (σb) values of nominally stoichiometric Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (NBT) prepared by solid-state reaction collated from literature show random variation between 10-6 -10-3 S cm-1 (at 600 °C). This makes it...

Relaxation type Kinetic equation for electrons in polycrystalline metal

The kinetic equation for electrons in a polycrystalline metal is considered. A kinetic equation is written that describes in a unified manner the scattering of conduction electrons both by impurities or phonons and by grain boundaries. This kinetic equation takes into account the scattering of electrons at the boundaries of crystallites of a polycrystalline metal An expression is obtained for the bulk conductivity in the general case. Let us analyze the effect of electron scattering at grain boundaries on its electrical properties.

Piezoelectric Nonlinearity and Hysteresis Arising from Dynamics of Electrically Conducting Domain Walls

Macroscopic nonlinearity and hysteresis observed in the piezoelectric and dielectric responses of ferroelectric materials to external stimuli are commonly attributed to localized displacements of domain walls (DWs). The link between the macroscopic response and microscopic DW dynamics is provided by the well-known Rayleigh relations, extensively used to quantify the electrical and electromechanical behavior of ferroelectric ceramics and thin films under subswitching conditions. In this chapter, I will present an intriguing case where DWs exhibit enhanced electrical conductivity with respect to the bulk conductivity. By combining experimental data and modeling, it will be shown that the local conductivity, related to accumulation of charged points defect at DWs, does not only affect DW dynamics through DW-defect pinning interactions, as we may expect, but goes beyond it by affecting the macroscopic nonlinearity and hysteresis in a more complex manner. The major characteristics and implications of the underlying nonlinear Maxwell-Wagner piezoelectric relaxation, triggered by the presence and dynamics of conducting DWs, will be presented, reviewed and discussed in the framework of systematic multiscale analyses on BiFeO3 ceramics. The result may have implications in the development of promising BiFeO3-based compositions for high-temperature piezoelectric applications.

Influence of Quenching and Subsequent Annealing on the Conductivity and Electromechanical Properties of Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-BaTiO3

Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-based materials have gained considerable attention for their potential to exhibit giant strain, very-high ionic conductivity comparable to yttria stabilized zirconia or high mechanical quality factor for use in high power ultrasonics. In recent times, quenching Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-based compositions have been demonstrated to enhance the thermal depolarization temperature, thus increasing the operational temperature limit of these materials in application. This work investigates the role of quenching-induced changes in the defect chemistry on the dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of quenched Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-BaTiO3. The quenched samples indeed demonstrate an increase in the bulk conductivity. Nevertheless, while subsequent annealing of the quenched samples in air/oxygen atmosphere reverts back the depolarization behaviour to that of a furnace cooled specimen, the bulk conductivity remains majorly unaltered. This implies a weak correlation between the defect chemistry and enhanced thermal stability of the piezoelectric properties and hints towards other mechanisms at play. The minor role of oxygen vacancies is further reinforced by the negligible (10–15%) changes in the mechanical quality factor and hysteresis loss.

Imaging current distribution in a topological insulator Bi2Se3 in the presence of competing surface and bulk contributions to conductivity

Two-dimensional (2D) topological surface states in a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI) should produce uniform 2D surface current distribution. However, our transport current imaging studies on Bi2Se3 thin film reveal non-uniform current sheet flow at 15 K with strong edge current flow. This is consistent with other imaging studies on thin films of Bi2Se3. In contrast to strong edge current flow in thin films, in single crystal of Bi2Se3 at 15 K our current imaging studies show the presence of 3.6 nm thick uniform 2D sheet current flow. Above 70 K, this uniform 2D sheet current sheet begins to disintegrate into a spatially non-uniform flow. The flow becomes patchy with regions having high and low current density. The area fraction of the patches with high current density rapidly decreases at temperatures above 70 K, with a temperature dependence of the form $$1/\left| {T - 70} \right|^{0.35}$$ 1 / T - 70 0.35 . The temperature scale of 70 K coincides with the onset of bulk conductivity in the crystal due to electron doping by selenium vacancy clusters in Bi2Se3. Thus our results show a temperature dependent competition between surface and bulk conductivity produces a temperature dependent variation in uniformity of current flow in the topological insulator.

Investigation of Ga Doping for Non-stoichiometric Sodium Bismuth Titanate Ceramics

The electrical performance of Ga3+ doping Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-based oxygen ion conductor was studied. The Na0.52Bi0.47Ti1−xGaxO3−δ (x = 0, 0.01, 0.015, 0.02) samples were fabricated by the means of traditional solid-state reaction. The results of AC impedance measurement show that the bulk conductivity of Na0.52Bi0.47Ti1−xGaxO3−δ samples decrease monotonously with the increase of Ga3+ doping. At 673 K, the bulk conductivity of the Na0.52Bi0.47Ti0.98Ga0.02O3−δ sample is 7.19×10− 4 S/cm, which is lower than that of Na0.52Bi0.47TiO3−δ sample under the identical test temperature. The highest total conductivity emerges in the Na0.52Bi0.47Ti0.99Ga0.01O3−δ sample with 1.387×10− 4 S/cm at 623 K for the Ga3+ doping content of 1 mol%, which demonstrate that a slight of Ga3+ doping supports the enhancement of the total conductivity. A relaxation peak was observed in the Na0.52Bi0.47Ti1−xGaxO3−δ compounds. As the Ga3+ ions were introduced into the Na0.52Bi0.47TiO3−δ compound, there is an increasing trend of the relaxation activation energy educed by the internal friction test. In addition, the oxygen relaxtion height of Na0.52Bi0.47Ti1−xGaxO3−δ samples decreases along with the introduction of the Ga3+ doping, suggesting that the introduction of the Ga3+ leads to the decrease of mobile oxygen vacancy .

Imaging current distribution in a topological insulator Bi2Se3 in the presence of competing surface and bulk contributions to conductivity

Two-dimensional (2D) topological surface states in a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI) should produce uniform 2D surface current distribution. However, our transport current imaging studies on Bi2Se3 thin film reveal non-uniform current sheet flow at 15 K with strong edge current flow. This is consistent with other imaging studies on thin films of Bi2Se3. In contrast to strong edge current flow in thin films, in single crystal of Bi2Se3 at 15 K our current imaging studies show the presence of 3.6 nm thick uniform 2D sheet current flow. Above 70 K, this uniform 2D sheet current sheet begins to disintegrate into a spatially non-uniform flow. The flow becomes patchy with regions having high and low current density. The area fraction of the patches with high current density rapidly decreases at temperatures above 70 K, with a temperature dependence of the form 1/|T-70| 0.35. The temperature scale of 70 K coincides with the onset of bulk conductivity in the crystal due to electron doping by selenium vacancy clusters in Bi2Se3. Thus our results show a temperature dependent competition between surface and bulk conductivity produces a temperature dependent variation in uniformity of current flow in the topological insulator.

Effects of the Domain Wall Conductivity on the Domain Formation under AFM-Tip Voltages in Ion-Sliced LiNbO3 Films

The specified domain patterns were written by AFM-tip voltages in LiNbO3 films composing LNOI (LiNbO3-on-insulator). The domain wall conductivity (DWC) was estimated in the written patterns. This estimate was based on the effects of load resistors RL inserted between DWs and the ground, on the features of occurring domains. In this case, the domain formation is controlled by the ratio between RL and the DWs’ resistance RDW. Starting from the comparison of patterns appearing at different RL, the value of RDW in a specified pattern was estimated. The corresponding DWC is of σDW ≈ 10−3 (Ohm cm)−1 which exceeds the tabular bulk conductivity of LiNbO3 by no less than twelve orders of magnitude. A small DW inclination angle of (10−4)0 responsible for this DWC is not caused by any external action and characterizes the domain frontal growth under an AFM-tip voltage.