Relaxor ferroelectric behavior: An approach considering both the dipolar and electrical conductivity contributions

Abstract

The relaxor behavior of PLZT ferroelectric ceramics has been analyzed in a wide frequency and temperature ranges, below and above the temperature for the formation of the so-called polar nano-regions (PNRs). An approximation to the dynamical behavior of the PNRs has been discussed using Cole–Cole’s relaxation model and Jonscher’s Universal Relaxation Law. The analysis considers both the dipolar contribution and those ones associated with DC and AC electric conductivities, this latter not being previously reported in the literature for relaxor materials. The effectiveness of the developed model has been verified from the agreement between the experimental data and the theoretical calculations. This study also offers an indirect method to predict the DC component of the electrical conductivity.