Phase transition and PTCR effect in erbium doped BT ceramics

In this work the dielectric behaviour and main features of the phase transition of BaTiO3 and Ba0.99Er0.01TiO3 ceramics were carefully investigated. The temperature and frequency dependences of the dielectric properties of erbium doped BaTiO3 ceramics were measured in the 25–225 °C and 100 Hz to 10 MHz ranges, respectively. From this study, a dielectric anomaly in the ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition of the Ba0.99Er0.01TiO3 ceramic was observed. The features of the samples phase transition were analysed by using Curie–Weiss, Santos–Eiras’ and order parameter local phenomenological models. In the BaTiO3 system, all models showed a normal phase transition, while was not possible to establish the character of the phase transition in the Ba0.99Er0.01TiO3 system. The relaxation parameters of conductive processes for the study ferroelectric materials, analysed in the time domain, did not show any influence on the ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition. Finally, it was demonstrated that the anomaly observed on the phase transition of the erbium doped BaTiO3 ceramics is associated with the processes that results in the PTCR effect.

► Erbium influence the dielectric response BaTiO3 ceramics.
► Features of the phase transition are not explained by phenomenological models.
► Relaxation parameters do not show influence on ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition.
► Dielectric anomaly on BET phase transition is associated with the PTCR effect.