Charge carriers and mobility of Cu-Ti ferrite

The concentration and drift mobility of charge carriers in Cu_1–x Ti _x Fe₂O₄ ferrite are calculated, over a wide range of temperatures (300–773 K), employing d.c. conductivity and thermoelectric power data. With increasing temperature the concentration of charge carriers decreases whilst the drift mobility exhibits an exponential increase. Over the above-mentioned temperature range, the obtained density of charge carriers varies between 10²¹ and 10²² cm^–3 whereas the drift mobility has values between 10^–8 and 10^–4 cm²/V s. The results are discussed on the basis of a small-polaron hopping conduction. The activation of the d.c. conductivity has been attributed to the thermal activation of the mobility.