Dielectric behavior and low temperature phase transition in NH4IO3

The electrical properties namely ac conductivity σ(ω,?T) and the complex dielectric permittivity (ε*) are measured at selected frequencies (5–100?kHz) as function of temperature (95?K?T?4IO₃. The ferroelectric hysteresis loops and the X-ray diffraction pattern are also measured. The analysis of the data indicates that the compound undergoes a structural phase transition at ～103?K and the behavior of σ(ω,?T) obeys the power law. The trend of the temperature dependence of the angular frequency exponent s (0?s?4IO₃; (2) the data indicate that the compound undergoes a structural phase transition at 103?K; (3) the originality of this transition has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction; (4) no evidence for the existence of a ferroelectric transition at 103?K as mentioned earlier; and (5) the quantum mechanical tunneling is proposed as the main mechanism of the electric conduction.