Frequency and temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity of KTaO3; Li and PbTiO3; La, Cu: Indication of a low temperature polaron mechanism

Recently, the concept of polarons has again been at the focus of solid-state research, as it can constitute the basis for understanding the high-temperature superconductivity or the colossal magnetoresistance of materials. More than a decade ago there were some indications that polarons play an important role in explaining low temperature maxima in imaginary part of the dielectric constant ε″(T)ε″(T) in ABO3 perovskites. In the present work we report the ac electrical conductivities of KTaO3; Li and PbTiO3; La, Cu and their frequency and temperature dependence. The real part of the complex ac conductivity was found to follow the universal dielectric response σ′∝νsσ′∝νs. A detailed theoretical analysis of the temperature dependence of the parameter s revealed that, at low temperatures, the tunnelling of small polarons is the dominating charge transport mechanism in ABO3 perovskites.