Low temperature ac electrical study of Pr0.5−xLaxCa0.5MnO3 (x = 0.0–0.4) ceramics by employing impedance spectroscopy

Abstract

Polycrystalline Pr0.5−xLaxCa0.5MnO3 (x = 0.0–0.40) ceramics are synthesized by conventional solid state reaction method, and phase purity is confirmed by employing X-ray diffraction. Temperature dependent ac impedance spectroscopic measurements enable us to determine an increasing trend in resistance values of these samples with the decrease in temperatures. However, a decreasing trend in resistance values with increase in the La-doping at Pr-site is observed. A metal to insulator transition (MIT) is reported for x ≥ 0.2, which is shifted to higher temperature values with further increase of x doping. Two equivalent circuit models, i.e., (ReQe)(RgbQgb) and (ReQe)(RgbQgb)(RgQg) are employed to explain the impedance data with and without MIT, respectively. Mott variable range hopping model is found to be an appropriate model for defining the conduction mechanism of charge carriers in the semiconducting region. The decrease in the impedance with x doping is explained in terms of increase in the localization length obtained from the fitting of Rgb. Using tanδ results, thermally activated relaxation behavior is discussed for x = 0.0 and 0.1; whereas for x = 0.2, a temperature independent relaxation behavior is conferred due to the change in the hopping process of charge carriers.