Structural and impedance spectroscopic studies of samarium modified lead zirconate titanate ceramics

The polycrystalline samples of Pb_1−xSm_x(Zr_0.60Ti_0.40)_1−x/4O₃ (PSZT) where x=0.00, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.09 were prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. The preliminary structural analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD) data collected at room temperature has confirmed the formation of single-phase compounds in tetragonal crystal system. The morphological study of each sample using scanning electron microscope (SEM) has revealed that the grains are uniformly distributed through out the surfaces of the samples. Using complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS) technique, the electrical impedance and modulus properties of the materials were studied in a wide range of temperatures at different frequencies. The impedance analysis indicates the presence of bulk resistive contributions in the materials which is found to decrease on increasing temperature. The nature of variation of resistances with temperature suggests a typical negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR) type behavior of the materials. The complex modulus plots clearly exhibits the presence of grain boundaries along with the bulk contributions in the PSZT materials. The presence of non-Debye type of relaxation has been confirmed by the complex impedance analysis. The variation of dc conductivity (bulk) with temperature demonstrates that the compounds exhibit Arrhenius type of electrical conductivity.