Dielectric relaxation and ac conductivity study of Ba(Sr1/3Nb2/3)O3

Single phase perovskite Ba(Sr1/3Nb2/3)O3 ceramics was prepared using the columbite precursor method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique is used to verify the single phase formation. It stabilizes in hexagonal phase with lattice constants a=12.1243 Å and c=15.3747 Å. Impedance analysis shows distributed relaxation time. Single semicircular arc observed in complex impedance plot confirms that only semiconducting grains are contributing to the polarization. The scaling behavior of both Z″ and M″ infers that the dynamical processes are temperature independent. Comparison of the impedance and electrical modulus data shows that the bulk response has contributions from both localized, i.e. defect relaxation, and non-localized conduction, i.e. ionic or electronic conductivity. The ac conductivity of the ceramics at higher temperatures indicates NTCR (negative temperature coefficient of resistance) behavior like semiconductors. The ac conduction activation energies are estimated from Arrhenius plots and conduction is largely due to hopping process.