Dielectric Relaxation in SrLiB9O15 Glasses

Transparent SrLiB9O15 (SLBO) glasses were fabricated via the conventional melt-quenching technique. X-ray powder diffraction and differential thermal analysis carried out on the as-quenched samples confirmed their amorphous and glassy nature, respectively. The dielectric constants in the 100 Hz to 10 MHz frequency range for SLBO glasses were measured as a function of temperature (300–1023 K). The dielectric relaxation characteristics were rationalized using the electric modulus formalism. The electrode polarization effect was subtracted from the low-frequency dielectric constant to have an insight into the intrinsic dielectric behavior of SLBO glasses. The imaginary part of electric modulus spectra was modeled using an approximate solution of Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts relation. The dielectric constant for the as-quenched glass increased with increasing temperature and exhibited anomalies in the vicinity of the glass transition and crystallization temperatures.

Gel growth and dielectric studies of K. Rb and Cs perchlorates

Single crystals of K, Rb and Cs perchlorates have been grown by the counter diffusion of the respective ions and CIO4 through the gel medium. Studies on nucleation, growth kinetics, morphological aspects and purity are discussed in this paper. The dielectric constant, ~b, as well as loss measured along the longest axis, exhibits an anomaly at the transition temperature, Tt, in all the three crystals. It is found that the peak values of Tt are approximately 800, 100 and 53 in K, Rb and Cs perchlorates, respectively. The dielectric anomaly and the large value of c b in the cubic phase are discussed in terms of the degree of disorder of the CIO~ group and the possible contribution from defects.

Dielectric properties of Li2O-3B(2)O(3) glasses

The frequency and temperature dependences of the dielectric constant and the electrical conductivity of the transparent glasses in the composition Li2O-3B(2)O(3) were investigated in the 100 Hz-10 MHz frequency range. The dielectric constant and the loss in the low frequency regime were electrode material dependent. Dielectric and electrical relaxations were, respectively, analyzed using the Cole-Cole and electric modulus formalisms. The dielectric relaxation mechanism was discussed in the framework of electrode and charge carrier (hopping of the ions) related polarization using generalized Cole-Cole expression. The frequency dependent electrical conductivity was rationalized using Jonscher's power law. The activation energy associated with the dc conductivity was 0.80 +/- 0.02 eV, which was ascribed to the motion of Li+ ions in the glass matrix. The activation energy associated with dielectric relaxation was almost equal to that of the dc conductivity, indicating that the same species took part in both the processes. Temperature dependent behavior of the frequency exponent (n) suggested that the correlated barrier hopping model was the most apposite to rationalize the electrical transport phenomenon in Li2O-3B(2)O(3) glasses. These glasses on heating at 933 K/10 h resulted in the known nonlinear optical phase LiB3O5.

Dielectric-lined rectangular metal waveguide

The propagation characteristics of electromagnetic waves in a dielectric-lined rectangular metal waveguide have been studied. The lining on the two side walls (E-plane) together with the air space in between them is considered as a homogeneous equivalent dielectric medium whose equivalent dielectric constant is derived by using electrostatic theory. The theoretical work is based on the fact that LSE and LSM modes can be propagated in a rectangular metal waveguide lined in the two longer sides (H-plane) by dielectric lining. Experimental verification of the guide wavelength at 'X', 'ku' and 'Ka' bands and cut-off frequency are reported.

Optical, dielectric and morphological studies of sol-gel derived nanocrystalline TiO2 films

Nanocrystalline TiO2 films have been synthesized on glass and silicon substrates by sol-gel technique. The films have been characterized with optical reflectance/transmittance in the wavelength range 300-1000nm and the optical constants (n, k) were estimated by using envelope technique as well as spectroscopic ellipsometry. Morphological studies have been carried Out using atomic force microscope (AFM). Metal-Oxide-Silicon (MOS) capacitor was fabricated using conducting coating on TiO2 film deposited on silicon. The C-V measurements show that the film annealed at 300 degrees C has a dielectric constant of 19.80. The high percentage of transmittance, low surface roughness and high dielectric constant suggests that it can be used as an efficient anti-reflection coating on silicon and other optical coating applications and also as a MOS capacitor.

Low loss and frequency (1 kHz-1 MHz) independent dielectric characteristics of 3BaO-3TiO(2)-B2O3 glasses

X-ray powder diffraction along with differential thermal analysis carried out on the as-quenched samples in the 3BaO-3TiO(2)-B2O3 system confirmed their amorphous and glassy nature, respectively. The dielectric constants in the 1 kHz-1 MHz frequency range were measured as a function of temperature (323-748 K). The dielectric constant and loss were found to be frequency independent in the 323-473 K temperature range. The temperature coefficient of dielectric constant was estimated using Havinga's formula and found to be 16 ppm K-1. The electrical relaxation was rationalized using the electric modulus formalism. The dielectric constant and loss were 17 +/- 0.5 and 0.005 +/- 0.001, respectively at 323 K in the 1 kHz-1 MHz frequency range which may be of considerable interest to capacitor industry.

Dielectric anomaly in Li-doped zinc oxide thin films grown by sol-gel route

Sol-gel route was employed to grow polycrystalline thin films of Li-doped ZnO thin films (Zn1-xLixO, x=0.15). Polycrystalline films were obtained at a growth temperature of 400-500 degrees C. Ferroelectricity in Zn0.85Li0.15O was verified by examining the temperature variation of the real and imaginary parts of dielectric constant, and from the C-V measurements. The phase transition temperature was found to be 330 K. The room-temperature dielectric constant and dissipation factor were 15.5 and 0.09 respectively, at a frequency of 100 kHz. The films exhibited well-defined hysteresis loop, and the values of spontaneous polarization (P-s) and coercive field were 0.15 mu C/cm(2) and 20 kV/cm, respectively, confirming the presence of ferroelectricity.

Investigations on magnetron sputtered ZnO thin films and Au/ZnO Schottky diodes

Magnetron sputtering is a promising technique for the growth of oxide materials including ZnO, which allows deposition of films at low temperatures with good electrical properties. The current-voltage (I-P) characteristics of An Schottky contacts on magnetron sputtered ZnO, films have been measured over a temperature range of 278-358K. Both effective barrier height (phi(B,eff)) and ideality factor (n) are found to be a function of temperature, and this behavior has been interpreted on the basis of a Gaussian distribution of barrier heights due to barrier height inhomogeneities that prevail at the interface. Density of states (DOS) near the Fermi level is determined using a model based on the space charge limited current (SCLC). The dispersion in both real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant at low frequencies, with increase in temperature is attributed to the space charge effect. Complex impedance plots exhibited two semicircles, which corresponds to bulk grains and the grain boundaries. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of sintering conditions and doping on the dielectric relaxation originating from the surface layer effects in CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics

Detailed investigations into the dielectric dispersion phenomenon in the giant dielectric constant material CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) around room temperature revealed the existence of two successive dielectric relaxations. In the temperature domain, a new dielectric relaxation was clearly observed around 250K, in addition to the well-investigated dielectric relaxation close to 100K. The effect of sintering and doping (La3+) on the strength of these dielectric relaxations were studied in detail. The sintering temperature as well as its duration was found to have tremendous influence on the dielectric relaxation that was encountered around 250 K. This Maxwell-Wagner (M-W) type of relaxation was found to be originating from the surface layer containing the Cu-rich phase, which was ascribed to the difference in the oxygen content between the surface and the interior of the sample. Interestingly, this particular additional relaxation was not observed in La2/3Cu3Ti4O12, a low dielectric constant member of the CCTO family, in which the segregation of Cu-rich phase on the surface was absent. Indeed the correlation between the new relaxation and the presence of Cu-rich phase in CCTO ceramics was further corroborated by the absence of the same after removing the top and bottom layers. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dielectric, Ferroelectric and Relaxor Behavior of BaLaxBi4-xTi4O15 Ceramics

Monophasic BaLaxBi4-xTi4O15 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8) ceramics, fabricated from the powders synthesized via the solid-state reaction route exhibited relaxor behavior. Dielectric properties of the well sintered ceramics were measured in a wide frequency range (1 kHz-1 MHz) at different temperatures (300-750 K). The temperature of dielectri maximum (T-m) was found to decrease significantly from 696 K for an undoped sample (x = 0) to 395 K for the sample corresponding to the composition x = 0.8 accompanied by a decrease in the magnitude ofdielectric maximum (epsilon(m)). The temperature variation of the dielectric constant on the high temperature slope of the peak (T > T-m) was analyzed by using the Lorentz-ype quadratic law and the diffuseness of the peak was found to increase with increasing x. Vogel-Fulcher modelling of dielectric relaxation showed a decrease in freezing temperature (T-VF) (from 678 to 340 K) and an increase in the activation energy (5 to 24 meV) for the frequency dispersion with increase in x (La-3 divided by content). Strength of frequency dispersion of the phase transition increased with lanthanum content. Polarization (P)-electric field (E) hysteresis loops recorded at 373 showed a transition from a nearly squarish to slim loop hysteresis behavior with increasing lanthanum content.

Studies on strontium titanate/barium zirconate superlattices

Artificial superlattices of SrTiO3 and BaZrO3 were grown epitaxially with different periodicities on SrRuO3 coated (00 1) SrTiO3 substrates by pulsed excimer laser ablation. Superlattices were structurally characterized by X-Ray theta-2 theta diffraction data. Electrical characterization was done in metal-insulation-metal configuration. Capacitance-voltage measurements showed limited amount of tunability. The DC field induced tunability has been observed to be sensitive to the periodicity of the superlattices, hence the effective strain present in the layers. Hysteretic behaviour in capacitance-voltage (C-V) and polarization versus electric field (P-E) results from the superlattices also indicate the sensitivity of the interfaces. Interfacial strain is supposed to be the most probable cause for such a behaviour which is also manifested in the variation of dielectric constant with individual layer thicknesses. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unusual dielectric response in B-site size-disordered hexagonal transition metal oxides

We discover that hexagonal holmium copper titanate (Ho2CuTiO6), has a unique and highly desirable combination of high dielectric constant, low losses, very small temperature coefficient, and low frequency dependence. Our first-principles calculations indicate that these exceptional properties result from a size-difference at the Cu/Ti B-site that suppresses the expected ferroelectric transition, combined with the dominance of intermediate-frequency polar vibrational modes in the dielectric response. Our results suggest that the use of such B-site disorder in alloys of hexagonal transition-metal oxides should generally result in similar robust dielectrics.

Dielectric properties of (100-x)Li2B4O7-x(Ba5Li2Ti2Nb8O30) glasses and glass nanocrystal composites

Transparent glasses of various compositions in the system (100 -x)(Li2B4O7)-x(Ba5Li2Ti2Nb8O30) (5 <= x <= 20, in molar ratio) were fabricated by splat quenching technique. The glassy nature of the as-quenched samples was established by differential thermal analyses (DTA). X-ray powder diffraction studies confirmed the as-quenched glasses to be amorphous and the heat-treated to be nanocrystalline. Controlled heat-treatment of the as-quenched glasses at 500 degrees C for 8 h yielded nanocrystallites embedded in the glass matrix. High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) of these samples established the size of the crystallites to be in the nano-range and confirmed the phase to be that of Ba5Li2Ti2Nb8O30 (BLTN) which was, initially, identified by X-ray powder diffraction. The frequency, temperature and compositional dependence of the dielectric constant and the electrical conductivity of the glasses and glass nanocrystal composites were investigated in the 100 Hz to 10 MHz frequency range. Electrical relaxations were analyzed using the electric modulus formalisms. The imaginary part of electric modulus spectra was modeled using an approximate solution of Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts relation. The frequency dependent electrical conductivity was rationalized using Jonscher's power law. The activation energy associated with the dc conductivity was ascribed to the motion of Li+ ions in the glass matrix. The activation energy associated with dielectric relaxation was almost equal to that of the dc conductivity, indicating that the same species took part in both the processes. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crystallographic Evolution, Dielectric, and Piezoelectric Properties of Bi4Ti3O12:W/Cr Ceramics

W/Cr codoped Bi4Ti3O12 ceramics, Bi4Ti3-xWxO12+x+0.2 wt%Cr2O3 (BITWC, x=0-0.15), were prepared using a solid-state reaction method. The crystallographic evolution and phase analysis were distinctly determined focusing on the X-ray diffraction peak changes in (020)/(200) and (220)/(1115) diffraction planes, by which the lattice parameters, a, b, and c can be refined. The thermal variations of permittivity, dielectric loss (tan delta), impedance, and electrical conductivity properties were characterized. A decrease in the values of Curie temperature from 675 degrees to 640 degrees C and an increase in the values of the dielectric constant due to an increase of W6+/Cr3+ content were observed. The highest piezoelectric constant, d(33) of 22 pC/N, was achieved with the composition of Bi4Ti2.975W0.025O12.025+0.2 wt% Cr2O3. Also, this composition had a lower electrical conductivity than the other investigated compositions.

Dielectric relaxation and electrical conductivity in Bi5NbO10 oxygen ion conductors prepared by a modified sol–gel process

Crystalline Bi5NbO10 nanoparticles have been achieved through a modified sol–gel process using a mixture of ethylenediamine and ethanolamine as a solvent. The Bi5NbO10 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that well-dispersed 5–60 nm Bi5NbO10 nanoparticles were prepared through heat-treating the precursor at 650 °C and the high density pellets were obtained at temperatures lower than those commonly employed. The frequency and temperature dependence of the dielectric constant and the electrical conductivity of the Bi5NbO10 solid solutions were investigated in the 0.1 Hz to 1 MHz frequency range. Two distinct relaxation mechanisms were observed in the plots of dielectric loss and the imaginary part of impedance (Z″) versus frequency in the temperature range of 200–350 °C. The dielectric constant and the loss in the low frequency regime were electrode dependent. The ionic conductivity of Bi5NbO10 solid solutions at 700 °C is 2.86 Ω−1 m−1 which is in same order of magnitude for Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 ceramics at same temperature. These results suggest that Bi5NbO10 is a promising material for an oxygen ion conductor.