Dielectric relaxation and magnetic field dependent alternating current conductivity of nanocrystalline cadmium–zinc ferrite below room temperature

The dielectric permittivity of nanocrystalline cadmium–zinc ferrite prepared by the ball milling method has been investigated within a temperature range 77≤T≤300 K in presence of a magnetic field up to 1 T and in the frequency range 20 Hz–1 MHz. The dielectric permittivity follows the power law ε/(f)∝Tn where the temperature exponent ‘n’ is found to be frequency dependent. The dielectric properties of the samples have been analyzed in terms of electric modulus vector. The dielectric relaxation has been explained by interfacial polarization. The variation of the relaxation time with temperature indicates the presence of two different activation energies. The ac magnetoconductivity is positive for the milled sample and becomes negative for the unmilled sample. This behavior can be explained in terms of grain and grain boundary contribution to impedance of the samples.