Structural, dielectric and electrical properties of Sm-modified Pb(SnTi)O₃ ferroelectric system

Abstract

We have synthesized (Pb_1-xSm_x)(Sn_yTi_1-y)_1-x/4O₃ (PSmST) polycrystalline ferroelectric ceramics with x = 005, 007, 01 and y = 0.45 by a solid-state reaction technique and performed preliminary X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, detailed temperature and frequency dependence dielectric measurements on them. The a.c. conductivity has been investigated over a wide range of temperature and the activation energy (E _a.c) has also been calculated. It is observed that (i) the dielectric permittivity (e) and loss tangent (tan °) are dependent on frequency, (ii) the temperature of dielectric permittivity maximum shifts toward lower temperature side with the increase of samarium ion (Sm₃) concentration at the Pb sites, and (iii) observed and calculated d-values of XRD patterns show that the compounds have been formed in orthorhombic single phase.