Electrical transport and temperature coefficient of resistance in polycrystalline La0.7−xAgxCa0.3MnO3 pellets: Analysis in terms of a phase coexistence transport model and phase separation model

The temperature dependent resistivity and temperature coefficient of resistance of Ag doped La0.7−xAgxCa0.3MnO3 polycrystalline pellets (x=0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20) are investigated. Ag substitution enhances the conductivity of this system. The Curie temperature also increases from 260 to 283 K with increasing Ag content. Using phase-coexistence transport model and phase separation model, we calculated the resistivity as a function of temperature and the temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) behavior. Comparing the calculated maximum TCR, we found that it is related to activation energy, transition temperature, and disorder in doped manganites. The relationship between the proposed TCR behavior and the transport parameters can suggest conditions improving TCRmax of doped manganites for the use of the bolometric infrared detectors.