Superionic conductivity in TlGa[Te.sub.2] crystals

Temperature dependences of electrical conductivity σ(T) and permittivity ζ(T) of one-dimensional (1D) TlGa[Te.sub.2] single crystals are investigated. At temperatures higher than 305 K, superionic conductivity of the TlGa[Te.sub.2] is observed and is related to diffusion of [Tl.sup.+] ions via vacancies in the thallium sublattice between [([Ga.sup.3+][Te.sup.2-.sub.2]).sup.-] nanochains. A relaxation character of dielectric anomalies is established, which suggests the existence of electric charges weakly bound to the crystal lattice. Upon the transition to the superionic state, relaxors in the TlGa[Te.sub.2] crystals are [Tl.sup.+] dipoles ([([Ga.sup.3+][Te.sup.2-.sub.2]).sup-] chains) that arise due to melting of the thallium sublattice and hops of [Tl.sup.+] ions from one localized state to another. The effect of a field-induced transition of the TlGa[Te.sub.2] crystal to the superionic state is detected. DOI: 10.1134/S1063782611080161