Anisotropy of synthetic quartz electrical conductivity at high pressure and temperature

AC measurements of the electrical conductivity of synthetic quartz along various orientations were made between 0.1 and 1 MHz, at ∼855∼1601 K and at 1.0 GPa. In addition, the electrical conductivity of quartz along the c axis has been studied at 1.0–3.0 GPa. The impedance arcs representing bulk conductivity occur in the frequency range of 103–106 Hz, and the electrical responses of the interface between the sample and the electrode occur in the 0.1∼103 Hz range. The pressure has a weak effect on the electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity experiences no abrupt change near the α − β phase transition point. The electrical conductivity of quartz is highly anisotropic; the electrical conductivity along the c axis is strongest and several orders of magnitude larger than in other directions. The activation enthalpies along various orientations are determined to be 0.6 and 1.2 eV orders of magnitude, respectively. The interpretation of the former is based on the contribution of alkali ions, while the latter effect is attributed to additional unassociated aluminum ions. Comparison of determined anisotropic conductivity of quartz determined with those from field geophysical models shows that the quartz may potentially provide explanations for the behavior of electrical conductivity of anisotropy in the crust that are inferred from the transverse magnetic mode.