Impedance and Pyroelectric Measurements on Sm3+/Dy3+ and Nb5+ Modified Bi4Ti3O12 Ceramic.

Tri-Valent (Sm3+/ Dy3+) and pentavalent (Nb5+) modified polycrystalline material of Aurivillius family, namely R0.75Bi3.25Ti2.9625.Nb0.03O12 (R = Sm, Dy), were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method. Impedance and pyroelectric measurements were carried out to understand the electrical properties of the samples. Master plots were drawn to understand the defect role, especially vacancies, and the results were corroborated with the dc-conductivity data. Finally, both the complex impedance spectroscopic as well as pyroelectric results were compared with the impedance data of technological important materials, namely La0.75Bi3.25Ti3O12 (BLT) and lead zirconium titanate (PZT) for the further understanding of defects and its effects at the grain interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]