Oxygen-vacancy-related low-frequency dielectric relaxation and electrical conduction inBi:SrTiO3

The temperature dependence of dielectric properties and electrical conduction of $({\mathrm{Sr}}_{1\ensuremath{-}1.5x}{\mathrm{Bi}}_{x}){\mathrm{TiO}}_{3} (0.0133<~x<~0.133)$ was measured from 10 to 800 K. Three sets of oxygen vacancies related dielectric peaks (peaks A, B, and $C)$ were observed. These peaks could be greatly suppressed or eliminated by annealing the samples in an oxidizing atmosphere, and enhanced or recreated by annealing in a reducing atmosphere. The results show that the Maxwell-Wagner polarization is not the main mechanism, and the Skanavi's model also cannot be directly applied. A tentative explanation was suggested. Peak A, observed in the temperature range of 100--350 K with the activation energy for dielectric relaxation ${E}_{\mathrm{relaxA}}=0.32--0.49$ eV, is attributed to the coupling effect of the conduction electrons with the motion of the off-centered Bi and Ti ions; the conduction carriers in this temperature range are from the first ionization of oxygen vacancies ${(V}_{o}).$ Peaks B and C are also discussed.