Electrical transport in rare-earth orthochromites

Abstract

The electrical conductivity (σ) and Seebeck coefficient ( ▪) measurements on pressed pellets of La, Nd and Sm orthochromites are reported for the temperature range 300 to 1000K. These orthochromites exhibit extrinsic, p-type conduction in the whole temperature range. In both measurements, breaks define a transition temperature (T B), which has been predicted to be due to some dielectric anomaly. Seebeck coefficient measurements show that thermal generation of charge carriers begins above T B.