Current-voltage and ferroelectric Characteristics of Er2O3-doped Bi4Ti3O12 Ceramics

The electrical properties of Er2O3-doped bismuth titanate, Bi4-xExTi3O12 (BET) ceramics prepared by a conventional electroceramic technique were investigated. XRD analyses revealed Bi-layered perovskite structure in all samples. SEM micrographs showed randomly oriented and plate-like morphology. For the samples with x=0.4 and 1.0 the current-voltage characteristics exhibited negative differential resistance behaviors and their P-E hysteresis loops were characterized by large leakage current, whereas for the samples with x=0.6 and 0.8 the current-voltage characteristics showed simple ohmic behaviors and their P-E hysteresis loops were the saturated and undistorted hysteresis loops. The remanent polarization (P-r) and coercive field (E-c) of the BET ceramic with x=0.8 were above 20 mu C/cm(2) and 65KV/cm, respectively.