Structural, Optical and Electrical Characteristics of a La0.5K0.5Ga0.5V0.5O3 System

The polycrystalline sample of La_0.5K_0.5Ga_0.5V_0.5O₃ (LKGVO) was prepared using a high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. X-ray structural analysis of the sample confirmed the formation of a single-phase compound in an orthorhombic crystal system. Preliminary molecular structural analysis using infrared (IR) spectroscopy further supports the formation of a single-phase compound. The optical indirect band gaps in LKGVO were obtained from the ultraviolet–visible light (UV–Vis) absorption spectral analysis. The micro-structural study on the LKGVO pellet sample by scanning electron microscopy shows that well-defined grains are distributed uniformly throughout the surface of the sample. Detailed studies of dielectric and impedance parameters as a function of temperature and frequency have shown the significant effect of grains and grain boundaries in the relaxation process. A I–V characteristic of the material shows a negative temperature co-efficient of resistance which is similar to that of a semi-conductor. Based on the appearance of a distinct dielectric anomaly and an unsaturated P–E hysteresis loop, like many other compounds, the existence of ferroelectricity in the compound can be expected in spite of it having moderate ionic conductivity.