Effect of sintering atmosphere on the electrical and optical properties of (ZnO)1-x(MnO2)x NTCR ceramics

Nominal composition of (ZnO)(1-x)(MnO2)(x)(0.005 <= x <= 0.2) ceramics have been prepared by the standard solid-state reaction method in three different sintering atmospheres: Ar, air, and reductive atmosphere. The effect of sintering atmosphere on the electron spin resonance (ESR), negative temperature coefficient of resistivity (NTCR), and photoluminescence (PL) properties of (ZnO)(1-x)(MnO2)(x) ceramics has been investigated in detail. The results demonstrate that the sintering atmosphere has significant effects on the ESR signals of (ZnO)(1-x)(MnO2)(x); the NTCR of the samples sintered in air is larger than those sintering in Ar and reductive atmosphere; the deep-level PL related to oxygen vacancy increases when sintered in the reductive atmosphere. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.