Characterization of the dielectric properties and alternating current conductivity of the SrBi5−xLaxTi4FeO18 (x=, 0.2) compound

Lanthanum-doped bismuth layer-structured ferroelectric ceramics SrBi5−xLaxTi4FeO18 (x=0,0.2) were prepared by the solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that single phases were formed. Hysteresis loops at room temperature (20 °C) show that the La-doped ceramic presents a slightly lower spontaneous polarization than the undoped compound. Measurements of relative permittivity and dielectric loss versus temperature were performed from room temperature to 700 °C in the 100 Hz–1 MHz frequency range. Three anomalies were observed in the thermal behavior of the relative permittivity in both samples. Anomalies around the temperatures of 465 and 430 °C have been identified as the ferroelectric-paraelectric transition temperatures for the x=0 and 0.2 compounds, respectively. The sizable shift of the transition temperatures toward lower temperatures with the La doping is interpreted as a manifestation of the La ion incorporation into the crystal structure. From the conductivity studies, the activation energies as functions of frequency for three different temperature zones are obtained. It is found that activation energies are strongly frequency dependent, particularly in the low-frequency region. The frequency dependence of the conductivity at different temperatures was analyzed using Jonscher’s power law and the Almond-West conductivity formalism.